Sweet Seduction
by KinkyWings
Summary: AU. Seduced by an Incubus, Daphne finds herself pregnant and gives birth to a perfect baby girl. Growing up as an outcast on Earth, Bloom always knew that she was different from other girls. After an ogre attack exposes her magical abilities, Bloom thinks she's found an answer, but it is only the start of her problems. The truth she is searching for is so much worse.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hello loves! The last thing I need right now is another story, but with all these Succubus stories going around, I thought I'd take a whack at it! I don't intend to copy other authors' works or anything. I just want to put my own spin on things, going off of traditional ideas of Incubi (male succubi) and Succubi :) Hope you loves enjoy! Please tell me your thoughts and let me know how I've done! XOXOX!

* * *

Prologue

Daphne writhed underneath the grip of her lover, her wrists pinned above her head by one of his large hands, her lithe legs wrapped around his waist, joining their hips as they rocked in time. His other hand was busy grasping at her breasts, kneading the tender flesh as he moved in an out of her. Every shift left her breathless, every push and pull sending shivers down her spine. It was sheer perfection.

She had only just met the man that night – the night of her eighteenth birthday. Her parents had decided to throw her a grand party to celebrate. She had thought it silly at the time; she would've been fine with a small family gathering. But there he was across the ballroom, tall dark and handsome, with eyes as dark as obsidian and body as chiseled as a god. He was too beautiful, too perfect.

She nearly fainted when he asked her to dance, blushing deep scarlet as he took her hand in his and led her out to the dance floor. She couldn't believe someone so perfect would ask her to dance. Sure, she was a crown princess, but in comparison to him, she was nothing. She was not even worthy to walk in his shadow, yet there she was, spinning circles with the beautiful stranger while everyone looked on with awe and jealousy.

It was all a blur after that. She didn't even know his name yet she felt like she was in love. His presence was intoxicating. She needed him more than she'd ever needed anything in her entire life. She would give him anything if he asked it.

All he asked for was to share her bed.

She was a virgin, saving herself for marriage. She had never even kissed a man before, yet she had no hesitation in handing that all over to him. Not even her parents had a qualm with him taking her back to her room unescorted. No maid nor butler made a fuss about a strange man entering her room. No one stopped them from locking the door, leaving the rest of the world behind as they undressed one another, quickly getting wrapped in the silk sheets on top of Daphne's plush mattress.

He'd pinned her down and ravished her with his mouth, licking and kissing every square inch of her skin. He placed his lips where she didn't even know lips could go and sucked on her until she felt her toes curl and her voice go hoarse. It was only then when he replaced his lips with himself, filling her to the brim. She'd never taken anyone inside her and yet she felt no pain. He was large, even to her virgin eyes, and yet she fit him like a glove, their bodies fitting like lock and key.

She could've spent forever in her stranger's arms. He was so strong, so perfectly perfect that she could barely believe that he was hers. His lips brushed over hers and captured them in a fiery kiss, licking his way into her mouth and claiming her in another way. She groaned into the kiss, arching up to meet him. Her arms were suddenly free and they found their way to his back, her nails scratching into his skin, though not deep enough to leave marks. She'd hate herself forever if she marred that perfectly tan skin. He didn't seem to mind, pulling her up until they were seated, Daphne wrapped up in his arms, rocking back and forth in his lap.

Her breath was growing heavy, white peeking at the corners of her eyes. She didn't want this to end; yet her body was edging towards release. He noticed and clutched at her hips, their rhythm growing faster and faster.

"Let go, my love," he instructed, his voice as soft and smooth as honey, music to her ears. She could not disobey him.

Pleasure came like stars and white light, her entire body tensing and releasing in one beautiful moment. Euphoria washed over her the moment she felt his release as well, heat growing inside the spot they were joined. His hips stuttered as he rode out his climax, rubbing small circles into her hips, murmuring sweet nothings into her temple, trailing kisses down her face.

Daphne felt warm and cherished and loved. This night was all she never knew she wanted. What she wanted now was a thousand more nights like this one, to wake up every day next to her beautiful stranger.

There was a slight pain when he pulled out of her, the twinge in her lower body unexpected after so much pleasure. She whimpered at the loss of him, feeling empty now that they were separated. He rolled over on his side to comfort her, pulling her close to his chest, the smooth wide plane of muscle solid as stone.

"Hush, my love," he whispered into her ear, pushing the damp strands of hair out away from her sweat-slicked forehead. Immediately she calmed, relaxing under the sound of his voice. "You have been so good, such a perfect vessel. I am glad to have chosen you."

"What?" Daphne asked, still under the post-coital haze.

He only smiled down at her, his dark eyes containing an amused glint.

"I chose you above the others to carry something sacred, something very precious to my people," he told her, though his words still made no sense to Daphne. She wanted to understand; she didn't want to look like a fool in front of her perfect stranger, but the words themselves were concerning. He carried on, oblivious to her growing distress, or if he was aware, he was unconcerned. Instead, he seemed gleeful, tracing up and down her abdomen with his long, perfect fingers. "My people cannot reproduce on their own. The women collect the seed and pass it on to the men, who must then seek out vessels to carry that seed for us. I was searching for such a vessel when I found you, a virgin princess who had just reached maturity, the purest type of creature in the Magical Dimension. Now that our joining is complete, it is just a matter of time. Soon, we will have one to call our own."

"What have you done to me?" Daphne asked. Panic was rising through her chest and cutting through the warm atmosphere surrounding them. However, it didn't get far, the panic smothered by feelings of peace and safety.

"Nothing my love," he assured her, stroking her stomach gently, caressing the flat skin as if something was already growing there. "You won't even remember this night, and neither will your kingdom. And when our precious child finally arrives, this entire kingdom will take to her in stride."

"Her?" Daphne asked, feeling faint. Her whole world was going fuzzy, exhaustion crashing over her like waves, pulling her under. She didn't want to sleep; she wanted answers. But she didn't seem to have a choice, her entire body practically melting into the mattress as the beautiful man next to her tucked her into the sex-stained sheets.

"Yes, her," he repeated, his voice fading out as the darkness took over. "A perfect future Queen of the Succubi."

* * *

Daphne could not remember the night of her birthday ball.

She woke up in the morning alone, sore, and completely unaware of the fact that she had lied with her perfect stranger. Her sheets were ruined, her dress lying in tatters on the floor along with her shoes and stockings. She was confused, scared even, but her maids made quick work of the mess, sweeping it away as if it were a common mess. When she went down for breakfast, the king and queen did not speak a word about the night, seemingly forgetting themselves. It was as if the night had been wiped from everyone's memories.

It was only called into question when Daphne started falling ill in the mornings and not fitting into any of her gowns. A few test revealed that she was with child, though she swore she was untouched. Everyone struggled to come to terms with this new development, the only possibility falling back to that night. In time, however, things went back to normal, and the idea of a baby put everyone into good spirits.

Nine months later, Daphne gave birth to a perfectly healty baby girl. She named her Bloom, and the entire planet of Sparks loved her. Her parents, King Oritel and Queen Miriam, claimed her as their own daughter to save the family from shame. No one questioned the claim, and for nearly a year, all was well.

Then the Ancestral Witches stormed the planet of Sparks, striking the king and queen down, covering the entire realm in an endless frost while the baby Bloom was placed into a portal, whisked far away to safety while her mother perished with the rest of the planet.


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello loves! So happy to see a good reception from the first chapter! Thank you to all who followed/faved/reviewed - keep doing it and being amazing! Here's the second installment! Hope you all enjoy! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 1

Ever since she was little, Bloom knew that she was different from all the other girls.

It wasn't obvious at first, not when she was small. Bloom grew up like every other girl. She was an only child who lived in a cozy little town called Gardenia, raised by two wonderful parents who loved and cared for her with all their hearts. She wanted for nothing, and her life was absolutely perfect.

It wasn't until she reached puberty that things changed for the worst.

First, it was her body. At age ten, she was the first amongst her classmates to develop breasts, and they didn't. Stop. Growing. Each year, they moved up a cup size until they were so large that she practically begged her mother for reduction surgery (of course, her mother refused). At age thirteen, her ass decided to grow as well, bubbling out so far that she was able to balance soda bottles on the perfectly round globes. Her waist pinched in, her lips plumped out, and her legs went on for miles.

Then, it was subtler things. Around the same time her ass started growing, her body started producing a scent, her own perfume that smelled both sweet and spicy. Her voice became lower, much more sultry in tone. She noticed that, unlike her classmates, she never really had acne problems, or any kind of health problem. She never got her period either, something that concerned her doctor greatly. Bloom didn't mind that one too much - she had no one to have children with anyway.

Long story short, she looked like a porn star. And she hated it. Mostly because of all the negative attention it brought her.

The boys in school tormented her, cat calling and whistling at her in the halls. Some dared to smack her ass when she passed by. Others shouted lewd comments about where they could stuff her and how she could put her body to good use. She'd tried to go to the teachers for help, but they were just as bad, the women scorning her for her body and the men ogling her like all the rest of the boys.

The girls would whisper about her behind her back, calling her a slut and a whore. They warned her to stay away from their boyfriends, knowing how their eyes wandered when Bloom passed them by. They were fueled by a jealous rage that they could not look like she did, and that was the only thing that gave Bloom solace during the schooldays. She had no friends to help her or lend a sympathetic ear. She had no one to protect her.

Until Andy came around.

The day he came up to her in the hallway, she expected harassment. Instead, he asked her what the algebra homework was for that day and if she wanted to grab lunch with him. At first she was confused; no guy had ever been so genuinely nice to her before, but she went along anyway. If he ended up being a jerk, she could just run away. Instead, Andy was true to his word and only wanted lunch. Bloom found out that he was new to town, having just moved there from across the country. He was kind and funny, an aspiring musician, and for the first time, Bloom felt like she had made a connection with someone.

When he asked her out a few weeks later, she was over the moon. Bloom jumped into his arms, crying "yes" over and over again while he laughed. He didn't quite understand her enthusiasm. It took her a few months to fully open up to him. He wiped away all of her fears, assuring her that she could be both beautiful and a worthwhile person and that everyone who said otherwise would have to deal with him.

It was then that Bloom realized that she could seriously be falling in love.

They spent their days curled up together on the couch, watching TV and not saying anything at all. They spent their nights at his garage, Bloom watching and listening to his band play for hours on end. They spent the a.m. hours lying on the grass, staring up at the stars and talking about their futures - their deepest fears and closest-kept dreams.

For six months, they were blissfully happy. For six months, Andy was the most important part of Bloom's sixteen-year-old life.

After six months, Andy wanted more.

It wasn't like he was demanding that she sleep with him, but she could see the tension in his eyes when he approached her, asking if she was comfortable taking their relationship to the next level. He knew that Bloom was hesitant given all the teasing and harassment she received from her body, but he was only a man. He had needs, and those needs were becoming harder and harder to suppress, especially with a girlfriend who looked like Bloom did. Bloom understood, and she was grateful that Andy was restraining himself, giving her the time and space she needed in their relationship. She knew that he had been patient with her. She knew he deserved to be rewarded.

And that was how she found herself half naked in Andy's bedroom, lying provocatively on his bed, waiting for him to return home. She'd snuck inside while he was out, using the spare key he'd given her for emergencies. She wanted to make the moment special, taking her time to light a few candles, to clean up around the messy space, and to put on her best lingerie - not that she owned much in the first place. Andy was her only boyfriend. He would be her first time.

It was always surprising when people found out she was a virgin. Some of her classmates didn't believe it, given how she looked. But it was true. The furthest she'd ever gone was a blowjob, which she performed on two different guys behind the bleachers on the football field. They weren't fond memories, mostly because the guys got weirdly clingy during and after they were done. They kept calling her "my queen" and other strange names that she didn't like. It was creepy, so she never talked to those guys again afterwards. A few days later, that strange daze wore off and they were back to calling her a slut.

Andy wasn't like that though. He would be sweet and gentle. He would take the time to pleasure her, to hold her hand and drop kisses on her forehead like he did when she made him laugh. Just the thought made her a bit breathless, sighing at her own fantasies that wouldn't be fantasies after tonight.

Bloom was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She quickly turned on the music she'd selected for the night and positioned herself back diagonally on the bed, lying on her side, making sure her hair was falling over one shoulder and her cleavage was just right. She was finished preparing just as Andy walked through the door, immediately dropping his guitar case on the floor when he realized his room was occupied.

"Babe..." Andy gasped like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs. His eyes immediately darkened as he took her in, and it made shivers run down Bloom's spine. "Wh-what's this?"

"You've been so good to me," Bloom tried to say sexily, leaning over on her stomach, beckoning him over to the bed. He stumbled forward, only stopping when his knees ran into the bed frame. "It's about time I was good to you."

"You...you don't have to do this if you don't want to..." Andy stuttered, though the look in his eyes and the pained expression on his face from forcing his arms to his sides said otherwise. It was killing him, to keep himself from touching her, and Bloom found his restraint sweet. Unnecessary, but sweet.

"But I want to."

Bloom smiled and kneeled on the bed, pulling Andy by the collar of his shirt into a kiss. He yelped in surprised, which turned into a moan of pleasure as he molded his body into hers, his hands fisting into her messy red hair. Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck, tilting her head to get a better angle, deepening the kiss. When they finally had to break for air, Andy's cheeks were flushed and his lips were swollen red. Bloom smirked at her handiwork, seeing him so disheveled just because of her making her feel proud.

They both fell back on the bed, Bloom's head falling against the pillow with a soft thud. She giggled as Andy kicked off his shoes, pulling off his t-shirt in a hurry. His skin was smooth and clear, the color of cream, and all she wanted to do was run her hands all over it. So she did, palms running up and down thin yet solid planes. Andy's hands mimicked her actions, trailing patterns up and down Bloom's skin. His hands kept going lower and lower, just brushing over the lace of her panties, and her vision temporarily blacked out.

When it returned however, Bloom was seeing things a little differently. Everything was sharper, clearer. She could not just feel but _see_ the lust rolling off of Andy in waves. It drove her crazy, how good he looked with his hair messed up and his skin flushed with pleasure. He looked positively _ravishing_ , and she just had to have him. So she flipped them both over, pinning Andy beneath her with a strength she didn't even know she possessed.

"Whoa, babe," Andy shouted, surprised by the sudden shift in position.

She didn't know where this need to dominate was coming from, but she needed to be in control. She needed to have him on his back. She needed to ride him like her life deepened on it, to feel him come apart beneath her. It was something instinctual, something primal rising from deep within her.

Bloom only smiled deviously at Andy before she pulled down his pants and briefs together, releasing his erection. Andy groaned as Bloom yanked his pants off his ankles, taking his erection in her hand. He was hot and hard in her palm, the smooth skin veiny and rippled and absolutely _delectable_. She couldn't resist, leaning down and licking a stripe all the way from tip to shaft. Andy's hips stuttered upward, gasping as she nuzzled into the hollow of his pelvis, taking in the musk of his scent. She kissed her way across his groin until her lips found the head of his cock, already flushed purple and oozing precome. He tasted just as good as he smelled as she swallows him down in one fell swoop. She worked him until she had him clamoring on the edge, his hands pulling at her hair, his hips thrusting to take him in deeper. Her gag reflex was nonexistent, his cock ramming into the back of her throat with ease.

That made the blowjob boring. She was tiring of sucking him, so she pulled off Andy with an obscene pop of her lips. He whimpered at the loss of the wet heat of her mouth, but Bloom didn't care. She was too busy rubbing her clit now, trying to slick herself for the main course. She didn't care that she was still wearing her lingerie, that her stockings and panties were still in the way. She was going to take him regardless, and Andy quickly picked up on that.

"Babe, slow down...we don't have protection," Andy groaned, trying to grasp at Bloom's hips, but she smacked his hands away, snarling in protest.

In a matter of seconds, she ripped through the nylon stockings, shoved the crotch of her panties to the side, and sunk down onto Andy's cock. The feeling of him stretching her out and filling her up was the best feeling in the world. She didn't feel any pain, not even a twinge of discomfort as she settled down on his pelvis and started rocking back and forth. Andy's head fell back onto the pillows, his mouth wide open in a silent "o" as Bloom rode him. She tried to start off slow, she really did, but as the pleasure built, her pace became faster and brutal. Her muscles were burning with all the exerted effort, and Andy's face had become pinched, like he was feeling more pain than pleasure.

"Babe...babe let me..." Andy failed to get the words out, reaching out for Bloom.

"Don't touch me!" Bloom commanded, rubbing her clit furiously. She needed to do this herself. Only she had the ability to get herself off. She didn't know how she knew this, but she knew that the idea of Andy touching her made her skin crawl.

"Babe...you gotta..." Andy breathed, trying again to reach out to her. Bloom was annoyed. Couldn't he get the picture? She was so close...

"Bloom?" he asked, his voice weak. He looked horrified, his eyes wide with fear instead of pleasure.

Immediately, Bloom stopped moving, but it was too late to stop Andy's orgasm. His hips arched up off the bed, stuttering as he came deep inside Bloom, her thighs pressed tightly to his sides so he couldn't pull out. The feeling was nothing short of euphoric, the energy that pulsed through Bloom's body soaring her to a new kind of high better than any kind of orgasm. It was the feeling that pushed her over the edge as well, squirting a waterfall of juices all over their joined bodies.

When she finally came down off her high, Bloom realized that something was terribly wrong.

Andy's skin was pale white, his lips turning blue as Bloom's body milked his orgasm, like her pussy was sucking all the life out of him through his cock. She could see the veins through his skin, his temple throbbing. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, his breath uneven.

"Andy..." Bloom reached down to feel his forehead, but he flinched at her touch. She tried to find his pulse, but it was erratic and thready.

She was panicking now, her hands shaking as she looked around the room, trying to find anything that could possibly help the situation. She didn't know what to do. She didn't even know what had happened!

In her panic, she didn't notice that Andy had gone still, his chest not moving. When she looked back down at him, his eyes vacant and glass, she fought the urge to scream. When she reached for his neck, she couldn't feel a pulse. His body was growing colder and colder by the second, yet her thighs would not release him.

"Andy!" she cried, tears running down her cheeks as she started pounding on his chest, attempting CPR to revive the only guy who had ever really loved her.

But it was useless. Andy was gone, and she couldn't do anything about it.

* * *

In the end, everyone chalked it up to a freak accident.

Andy's family had a history of cardiac problems, and the coroner determined that the only plausible explanation was that his heart simply gave out under the exertion. Bloom was too devastated to be mortified. The only guy she had ever loved, the only one to love her in return, had died because of her. Even though everyone, including Andy's parents, told her it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but feel guilty. They weren't there when it happened. They didn't see how she became someone else...weren't there to witness how she'd pretty much used and abused Andy for her own purposes. And then there was that giant rush of energy that coursed through her as Andy was breathing his last...

It couldn't all just be coincidence.

From that day forward, Bloom swore off of both sex and love. Sex was dangerous, and love was even more so. Not that it was hard to avoid. The whole school knew what had happened, and on top of the usual torment, she now had to deal with remarks of her "killer pussy" and the side glares and jibes of "freak" and "murderer". A particularly hellish girl named Mitzi made herself the president of the "Let's Hate on Bloom Club", making it her goal to ruin every second of Bloom's miserable life. The only solace Bloom got were her afternoons spent in Gardenia Park with her bunny Kiko.

A few months later, it was there in the park where Bloom's life changed for the second time.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello loves! The next installment is here! Everything in this chapter is based off of the 4Kids version of Winx Club. I won't be going episode by episode - or at least that isn't the plan - but I will be taking bits and pieces from the actual show and tweaking it to fit the story's needs. Of course, I do not own Winx Club, but I wish I did! Hope you loves enjoy it and keep telling me how you like the story! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 2

Bloom parked her bike off to the side of her favorite bench in Gardenia Park. She'd ridden there straight after another long and torturous day at school. The fresh air and wind through her hair let her leave all the drama and heartache of the day far behind her. When she rode her bike, it felt like she was flying. And when she was at the park, she was the closest she'd ever get to peace.

She'd passed Mr. Denero, a local vendor, on her way, and she promised to say hello to her mother for him when she got home. Her mom always gave him free flowers to give to his wife, because he always gave them free things when they came into his shop. He was a nice, old man - one of the few who didn't care about what Bloom looked like, but maybe that was just because he was going blind.

Regardless, that small interaction made her ride that much nicer. It wasn't often she was spoken to like an actual human being.

"Go find an acorn Kiko, and I'll toss it around with you," Bloom told her bunny, who hopped off into the distance. Bloom wasn't worried about him running off though. He always came back, though sometimes he got in some trouble on the way.

Bloom sat down on the plush grass and took a giant bite of her apple, enjoying the peace and quiet of the park and the beautiful weather. Everything was perfect.

Until Kiko came running at her at top speed, squealing and flailing about as if he'd been spooked.

"What? Did you see one of those scary squirrels again?" Bloom teased her pet, knowing how overly dramatic he could be. This time though, Kiko didn't stop to be offended; he just kept on freaking out, trying to get Bloom to look past the bushes. Whatever it was had him seriously freaked out.

"Alright, I"ll come and see," Bloom sighed. Her bunny could be so demanding sometimes. However, as she looked through the bushes, what she saw took her breath away.

There, in the middle of the clearing, was a real life fairy. She had the wings and everything - wielding a scepter as tall as she was and kicking butt in her orange two piece suit and knee high boots. Her blonde hair remained in two flawless ponytails that fell to her waist, not a strand out of place as she twisted and turned, firing attacks out of her scepter.

"Rising Sunburst!" the girl shouted and extended her hand, the entire place lighting up as if the sun was shining directly down upon them, incinerating the tiny red creatures collecting at her feet.

"Take that!" she manually took down a few more creatures without a scratch.

It was so surreal - like something out of a dream - and Bloom felt like she was watching a movie. She had to pinch herself to make sure she was actually awake. Kiko, on the other hand, fainted.

"Solar Wind Blast!"

The blonde girl lowered her scepter in an arc, the energy emitted from the weapon defeating all the creatures in front of her.

"News flash Mr Hideous, the power of Solaria is so going to flatten you," the girl taunted cockily.

 _What is Solaria?_ Bloom thought.

"You're the one who's gonna get flattened!" another, larger creature retorted in a gravelly voice. This creature was at least eight feet tall and hulking, a pair of distressed overalls hanging on him by a thread. His eyes were small and his teeth crooked and sharp.

 _An ogre_ , Bloom's mind supplied, though she had no idea how she knew that.

The blonde girl's ego got the best of her, sending her flying as she was unprepared to defend herself against a charging ogre. She fell back against the grass, the demonic red creatures pinning her arms and legs to the ground. Her scepter was lying a few feet away, and she struggled to get to it.

"Ghouls! Bring me her scepter!" the ogre commanded, the red demons - ghouls - who weren't holding the blonde girl down hurrying to pick up the scepter and deliver it to their master.

"You won't get away with this!"

"I think I just did," the ogre said gleefully, handling the scepter with far less tact than the blonde girl did. "Your scepter's ours, and you're history."

The ogre pointed the scepter right at the blonde girl's head. She looked horrified; Bloom had to do something.

Without thinking, Bloom jumped out from behind her hiding place, drawing attention to herself by screaming, "Leave her alone! Come get me….wait, did I just say that?"

"You sure did!" the ogre replied, annoyed that his victory had been interrupted.

Bloom gulped, immediately wishing she'd just stayed silent. The ogre was now fully concentrated on Bloom, running at her at breakneck speed, sweeping her up off her feet by her wrists. Bloom screamed in terror, the ground vanishing from beneath her as she was suspended in the air.

"You should learn to mind your own business!" the ogre roared, his breath making Bloom gag.

"Let go!" Bloom shouted, her wrists in agonizing pain from where they were being crushed together under the ogre's grip. The creature shook her, making Bloom more and more desperate to get loose.

It was as if all the want for freedom building inside her was released, energy burning through her like fire, erupting from her body and coursing into the surrounding area. The ogre fell backward, releasing Bloom as he was blindsided by the inadvertent attack. The fire, taking the vague form of a dragon, soared up into the sky where it burst apart, scattering energy in a million directions. It looked like a firework, and Bloom was left speechless. That couldn't have possibly come from her.

She didn't have much time to remain starstruck. The ghouls had gotten over their shock and were forming more aggressive lines.

"Get back!" Bloom warned the growing hoards that were poised to strike at any second. She stuck her hand out in front of her - like that was going to be any help when tiny ghouls with razor sharp fangs wanted to tear her limb from limb. But soon enough the palm of her hand grew warm, an orangey glow spreading around her and repelling all the ghouls. When the glow faded, she was unharmed.

"What just happened? How'd I do that?" Bloom asked herself, completely confused.

"Hey ghoul, take off!" the blonde girl shouted, reminding Bloom of her presence while she was whacking ghouls with her scepter, clearing the space of threats for the moment. Bloom would have been impressed had she not been totally wiped out.

"Wow! You've got Winx girl, major Winx!" the blonde girl exclaimed as she approached, looking at Bloom like she was some shiny new toy.

"What me? What do you mean?" Bloom asked, trying to catch her breath, looking up at the blonde girl like she was crazy. What the hell was "Winx"? It sounded made up.

The blonde girl opened her mouth as if to explain, but she never got the chance. While they'd been distracted, the ogre had taken the opportunity to strike, running into the blonde girl and toppling her to the ground. She didn't get back up this time, clearly knocked out. Her wings and orange outfit faded away to reveal a gown, her scepter turning into a small ring around her finger.

"No...no, wake up!" Bloom got down and tried to shake the blonde girl awake. She couldn't just leave her with all these things! Now they were both doomed.

As if the ogre could read Bloom's thoughts, he turned his sights on her, his face forming a grotesque snarl. Bloom blanched, feeling ill. This was the end. This was how she was going to die: defending a strange fairy that shouldn't even exist from another mythical creature. She shut her eyes as the ogre closed in on her, smacking her across the clearing with the back of his fist. The impact knocked all the air out of Bloom's lungs, made her vision go black. When it returned, she had the most horrible sensation of déjà vu.

It was as if the world had tinted red, fueled by her overwhelming rage. She was sure the impact should have broken bones, but yet she rose up off the ground with ease, possessing a strength she didn't knew she had. The urge to kill pulsed through her veins, honing in on the brutish creature a few yards away. The ogre seemed surprised that Bloom had gotten up so quickly, but that surprise was immediately replaced with fear.

For some reason, his fear made Bloom smile.

Bloom crossed the clearing with impossible speed, slashing at every single red ghoul that stood in her way. She didn't know how they were falling, but each time she swung her arm, multiple ghouls were slashed to pieces. They didn't erupt into clouds of dust like they did when the blonde girl struck them. No, this time, they howled out in excruciating pain, thrashing and seizing before dissolving and decaying away into piles of black ash. There were none left by the time Bloom came to face the ogre who had drained of color as he watched his army be decimated before him.

"How dare you attack me!" Bloom shouted in the ogre's face, her voice unrecognizable to her ears. It sounded deeper and richer than it usually did - instilled with something powerful.

"I-I'm sorry!" The ogre cried, falling to his knees at Bloom's feet, begging for mercy. "Please! I was only acting under orders! Spare me!"

"Spare you!" Bloom shrieked at the audacity. "You lay hands on me and expect me to spare you!"

Bloom didn't know where this was coming from. She was talking like she wanted to kill him, but she didn't really...did she? It was like her body was acting on its own, like she was on autopilot. She needed to get in control - and fast - before she did something unforgivable.

The ogre was still begging at her feet, practically sobbing, and that enraged her all over again. Her arm raised up above her head without her permission, preparing to strike. She only just had time to stop herself, grabbing her arm with the other, before it lowered to the ogre's neck. Finally getting a good look at her hand, her eyes grew wide as saucers.

In place of her nails were long, deadly claws.

Immediately, whatever spell she was under broke, and her vision returned to normal. She took five steps back from the ogre, her entire body shaking. She watched as the claws retracted, vanishing without pain or preamble, as if they never existed in the first place. Maybe she was just hallucinating the whole thing. Maybe she would wake up in her bed, her father would kiss her good morning, her mother would make pancakes, and she could chalk this experience up as one really bad dream.

The ogre got up off his knees and took Bloom's retreat as his opportunity to escape. He scrambled across the field, far away from Bloom, and clapped his hands, immediately vanishing in a flash. When she was sure he was gone, Bloom let out a sigh of relief. She'd never have to deal with anything like that again. Now her life could go back to normal.

The blonde girl chose that exact moment to groan, reminding Bloom that there were a million reasons why her life would never be normal after today. Bloom sighed, looking down at the girl curled up in the grass, passed out cold. She had no idea how she was going to move her, or what she could do to help, but she knew she had to try.

So, she called a taxi, hitched her bike to the back of it, and took the blonde girl all the way back to her house. After a long-winded and completely made up explanation about how she found the blonde girl, her parents were more than willing to help. They set her up on the couch and let her sleep...and sleep...and sleep, giving Bloom plenty of time to think about how she was going to explain ogres, ghouls, fairies and whatever the hell had happened to her in the park.

However, all of that worrying wasn't even necessary.

When the blonde girl woke up, she woke up screaming.

* * *

In a dark room, the ogre approached three shadowy figures who were impatiently awaiting his arrival.

"Well well well, look who's failed us again," a cold voice greeted him, her tone cutting through him like ice, making him flinch. "Explain yourself Knut!"

"It really wasn't my fault this time Your Wickednesses! The scepter was mine," Knut apologized, trembling where he stood. "But then we were attacked by a succubus!"

"Did you say succubus?" the same voice asked, the clear blue of her eyes narrowing into displeased slits.

"Um, yes, but this was no ordinary succubus - she had magical powers! She took us on one-handed!"

"What did she look like?" the voice snapped.

"Um...she..." Knut stammered, knowing he needed to find his words soon or else he would be flayed alive. However, he really had no clue what the girl looked like. Everything was a blur.

"Where are your glasses?" the voice asked annoyedly.

"Right here, Your Wickedness," Knut pulled the large bulky frames out of his pockets, grimacing as the remembered how ugly they were.

"Knut! How many times do we have to tell you - you are never to remove your glasses!"

"Don't you know you're blind as a hairless mole rat without them, you buffoon?" a second voice chimed in, this one huskier.

"Perhaps if you'd kept them on, you'd know that there is no way you could have possibly been attacked by a succubus!" the third and final voice yelled, thunder rumbling above him as his three mistresses reached their breaking point.

"But I swear, she had the claws and everything!" Knut cried, trying to get them to believe him.

"Succubi live in secluded sectors of the far outer reaches of the Magical Dimension, so how do you think one got all the way to Earth you blundering idiot!" the husky voice countered, making it clear that he was not believed, not even a little bit.

"I-well I-I don't know, but-" Knut tried to explain himself, but was cut off.

"Exactly, you don't know! Besides, we didn't tell you to chase down magical creatures, we told you to get. The. Scepter!" the first voice screeched, the entire space dropping thirty degrees, his breath frosting in the air. He was terrified of being turned into a popsicle - frozen from the inside out and shattered to bits. He'd seen his mistress do it before to a less fortunate ogre. She'd made him clean up the mess afterward. He'd never forget it.

"I have a plan to get that back!" Knut pleaded, trying to redeem himself.

"Do go on," the first voice calmed, the room slowly warming again.

"While the...girl... was distracted, one of my ghouls got a piece of her clothing. Now all we have to do is give it to the hunter troll, and he will track her down," Knut said, creating this plan as he talked. A hunter troll came out from the darkness, and Knut handed over the swatch of blue and yellow-starred fabric, the creature immediately picking up on the girl's unique scent. "See!"

"Very well. Go and fetch us our scepter, and don't get distracted with your little fantasies on the way there," the first voice warned, her tone indicating finality.

"Yes, Your Wickednesses," Knut bowed his head in respect to his mistresses and backed slowly out of the room, following closely behind the hunter troll.

The last thing he saw before he opened the portal back to Earth was three sets of narrowed, manic eyes.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello loves! Sorry for the wait but here is the next installment! Life got in the way as it is wont to do, and I also wanted to finish up _A Dragon's Tale_ before I updated for this story. A guest reviewer asked lots of good questions, and I'm glad they did. However, a lot of those questions will have to wait to be answered because I plan on having explanations for those things later on in the story. This story is seen through Bloom's eyes - which are biased in the means of beauty and other things based on where she was raised - and since she doesn't know what's going on, there is a lack of explanation on her succubus condition and succubi in general. If the guest still wants their questions answered now, feel free to PM me. Love you all to bits and hope you enjoy! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 3

Bloom was upstairs in her room when she heard the screaming. It startled her so badly she jumped straight up out of her desk chair. The screaming wasn't male, nor was it her mother's usual put out shouting when her father forgot to put dishes in the washer. No, this screaming was very high pitched and feminine, meaning that the blonde girl had woken up, and by the sound of things, she was not happy.

She took the stairs two by two, trying to beat her parents to the blonde girl so she could have time to fabricate a story. However, when she reached the living room, she found that her parents were already neck deep into things. The blonde girl had gotten up from her makeshift bed on the couch, now standing and poised to strike with her scepter in hand. She had yet to brandish her wings, and Bloom was grateful for that small miracle, though if she hovered in the hallway any longer, her parents were going to be blown to smithereens.

"Who are you? Where am I?" the blonde girl demanded, her stance strong though Bloom knew she had to be super weak from the fight in the park.

"Let's just calm down..." her father tried to placate the girl, but she jabbed her scepter further out in warning.

"Take one more step forward and I'll blast you into the next dimension!"

That was Bloom's cue to do something so she ran into the room, jumping in between the scepter and her father. The blonde girl seemed surprised to see her there, but did not initially lower her scepter. Bloom thought that maybe the blonde girl didn't remember her, and so kept her hands up in the air in a surrender-like stance.

"Hey! It's me, remember? The girl from the park?" Bloom tried, putting on a smile.

"Of course! You only saved my life," she replied, her mood much more agreeable and cheerful. She lowered her scepter to her side where she compacted it back into a ring that she slipped on one of her slender fingers. "But what are you doing here?"

"This is my home. You passed out so I took you here to get help," Bloom explained, getting the blonde girl to calm down. "These are my parents."

"You're kidding, right?" she asked, her eyes lit with amusement as she surveyed the place and then her parents.

"No..."

"Well, I hope you don't mind if I ask, but what's a girl with such serious Winx doing hanging around a backwards place like Earth? There isn't even magic on this planet," the blonde girl asked, though Bloom couldn't prevent taking her words as a slight. Earth wasn't backwards, it was her home. Besides, what kind of question was that anyway? Was there anyplace else that people could live?

"You've said that word before...Winx..." Bloom focused on instead, hoping for some kind of explanation as to what the hell was going on.

"The source of a fairy's magic - duh!"

The way she added the 'duh' made Bloom feel stupid. Was she supposed to know what that was? Did having abilities come with some sort of manual she was supposed to read?

"Hold on a second...fairies?" her father interjected, reminding the two girls that Bloom's parents were still in the room.

"Yeah, fairy," the blond girl repeated. "What else did you think I was?"

"Deranged," Mike mumbled under his breath, earning a glare from the blonde girl and an elbow to the ribs from Vanessa.

"Who are you, exactly?" Bloom asked, almost embarrassed not to have thought to ask the blonde girl's name before.

"Princess Stella of Solaria," she replied proudly. "I'm the Fairy of the Sun and the Moon. And you are?"

"Bloom. Bloom Peters," Bloom replied weakly, not really sure how to follow up on that kind of introduction. "I'm not sure what I'm the fairy of..."

"That's because you're not a fairy!" Mike exclaimed, seemingly annoyed. "Don't listen to this girl's crazy talk. I'm going to call the doctor right now to see what's wrong with her..."

Stella pouted as Mike made his way to the phone. Then, subtly, Bloom noticed her reach out and wave her hand, smirking as a wave of magic flowed from her fingertips and hit the phone, turning it into a cabbage and carrot. Mike was horrified, but Bloom couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you believe me now?" Stella asked sassily, her hips cocked and arms folded over her chest. She seemed like the kind of person who was used to getting her way, and this was no exception.

"Just because you can do whatever it is you do, doesn't mean that Bloom can," Mike protested, not convinced.

"But I can Dad," Bloom spoke up. "In the park earlier today, there was this ogre -"

"Ogre?" Mike interjected, highly skeptical.

"Just let her finish," Vanessa chided, trying her best to be supportive when she too thought this was insanity.

"There was an ogre and I saw him try to hurt Stella and I just..." Bloom hesitated, unsure how to phrase the next bit. How could she describe the feeling of burning on the inside without frightening her mother? "I let something loose. It was like this energy came bursting out of me and next thing I knew the ogre was on the ground."

"It was more than that!" Stella exclaimed. "It was like fireworks - boom! I've never seen an attack so powerful!"

"Thanks," Bloom blushed.

"What happened after I passed out? Showed him just how much fairies can kick ass?" Stella nudged Bloom playfully, but she only blushed and nodded.

Perhaps it was best to keep the claws and rage out of conversation for now, at least until she knew more about being a fairy. Who knew - maybe she activated some kind of anger spell that gave her a lot of strength? Or maybe she transfigured her fingers into claws, or did that only exist in the British wizard series she loved so much? No matter the case, Bloom knew that those details were best kept under wraps. She didn't want to look like more of a freak than she already was.

 _How am I going to explain this at school?_ she thought worriedly. Everyone already hated her. If word got out that she had abilities, that she was a fairy, the torment would never stop. Yet another reason to be picked on.

"Bloom, sweetie, are you alright?" Vanessa asked when Bloom realized she'd let the silence go on for too long.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just overwhelmed," she replied, giving her best smile.

"I hope not! Because I have something to show you that I think can really help you understand yourself, and your powers," Stella exclaimed, pulling Bloom up the stairs by her arm. "Come with me!"

* * *

In the kitchen, Mike was making coffee even though it was approaching nighttime. He was going to need it after the day he'd had. A long day at the station followed by this seemingly impossible revelation about his daughter was pushing his limits to the max. Vanessa appeared to be the same, worrying her hands as she glanced out the window.

He placed two mugs of steaming hot coffee down on the kitchen table, taking a seat across from his wife. She turned at his presence and took the cup gratefully.

"So, do we believe this Stella character?" Mike asked Vanessa. She had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the exchange, and he was riddled with curiosity. Usually his wife was the more levelheaded of the two of them. If anyone could help Bloom see reason, it would be her.

"I'm not sure. I want to say she's crazy, but I can't deny what she did to the phone."

Mike nodded, replaying the moment over again in his mind. "That could've been anything. For all we know, she could be a skilled magician, or a con artist."

"Don't you think that's pushing it Mike?" Vanessa asked, her tone heavier than she was aiming for. "Besides, I know you were busy dialing but I saw something come out of that girl's hands - like sparkling dust. That's what covered the phone."

"So you're saying you saw this magic?"

A pause. Vanessa sighed and rubbed her temples, trying to think things through.

"I sound crazy don't I?"

She looked to be on the brink of tears, exhaustions gripping at her every feature, and Mike lifted his free hand to cover hers. It was a soothing gesture, one she was grateful for.

"No, sweetheart. I just wish there was a logical explanation for all of this."

"Me too," she agreed shakily. "Where are we even supposed to go from here? What do we do with a daughter who can do the impossible?"

"We still haven't seen Bloom do anything like that," Mike countered.

"If Bloom says she can do it, then I believe she can. Our daughter is not a liar."

That was the truth. A parent of a troubled child might suspect drugs, but Bloom wasn't like that. Though she was definitely strange in her own way, she was a good girl and had never once lied to them about something as serious as this. Of course there were the childhood "of course I didn't eat the last cookie" but to say she fought something with magic and won...that's a rather strange lie to make up. That and the way she looked while telling the story...she looked just as scared as he did, which was the only reason he was inclined to believe the story whole-heartedly.

"Mike...do you think this has something to do with where she comes from?" Vanessa asked tentatively, surprising him.

"You mean...her biological parents?"

Vanessa nodded slowly, a slight shift of her head like she was afraid to admit where her mind was going. "You found her in a fire Mike, a fire that killed the three other people in the building but not her. Even you said there was something strange surrounding her, like the flames couldn't touch her."

Mike frowned and pulled away, staring into his coffee. He hadn't thought about that night for so long, but sometimes he still dreamt about it: the impossible fire that seemed to not only avoid but protect the smiling infant, that ring of protection surrounding him as he brought her to safety. He used to chalk it up to hallucinations due to dehydration, but now he wondered...

"Honey, we need to tell Bloom where she came from. It's been long overdue, and after what happened today, maybe this Stella girl can help us figure everything out," Vanessa said, her tone resolute despite her distraught manor.

"Are you sure?" Mike asked, surprised yet again. He'd never been opposed to telling Bloom about her origins; he just never saw the need to and the occasion never arose. Her biological parents never came knocking and Bloom never asked any questions as to why she looked so different from the two of them. So long as she was happy, he was happy, and that was how things stayed. Until now.

"No, but it's the right thing to do," Vanessa said, her eyes sparkling with tears. "She's our little girl, always and forever, and I have to believe that whatever happens, we won't lose her."

"We won't let that happen," Mike insisted, pulling Vanessa to him and giving her a kiss on the forehead. She calmed in his arms, enjoying the last few moments she had as the Peters family unit.

It would have been a perfect bittersweet moment had the wall not blown apart and a giant monster storm through the house, charging their way with a deafening roar.

* * *

"So, what did you think?" Stella asked, bouncing on her toes.

They had just gotten back to Bloom's room, rising up through Stella's really trippy carpet, from a visit to what was apparently the best fairy school in the Magical Dimension - whatever that was. The school was called Alfea, and apparently Bloom was supposed to be impressed by this and Stella was surprised when she was not. Not to say that the school wasn't impressive; it was beautiful. The sprawling forest and greenery made the blush and blue colored school stand out, the winged gates and spiraling towers too delicate to be bound by any law of physics. It looked like a castle, and Bloom thought that perhaps she really was dreaming. But Stella's blathering in her ear was very, very real and also obnoxious.

"It was really pretty," Bloom conceded, not knowing what else to say. It wasn't like Bloom could actually go there. She unfortunately had a permanent spot in the Gardenia High sophomore class.

Stella was about to open her mouth to say more, but a huge crash that shook the entire house shut her up immediately.

"What was that?" Bloom asked, terror running through her.

Stella whipped out her scepter and transformed. "I don't know, but whatever it is will regret messing with the power of Solaria."

Slowly, they crept down the stairs, being careful to check their surroundings. Bloom didn't know exactly what the threat was, but she didn't want to run straight into the barrel of a loaded gun. When they reached the landing, Stella held Bloom back.

"I'll check the back, you check the front, got it?"

Bloom nodded and both girls parted ways. Stella walked directly out of Bloom's line of sight, but she didn't hear anything breaking, so whatever it was must not have seen her yet. Bloom crept along slowly, checking every corner and ducking out of the way of mirrors. It felt like she was in one of those old spy movies, and it would've been funny had the situation not been so terrifying.

When she rounded the corner into the kitchen, it turned directly from terrifying to horrifying.

"Mom! Dad!" she screamed, rushing over to where they were lying on the kitchen floor.

It was a hard sight to stomach: her parents sprawled on the ground lying in puddles of their own blood, bodies sliced and bruised. She couldn't stop the tears, nor the violent illness she felt roiling in her stomach. Bloom fell to her knees and ran her shaky hands over her mother's chest and further up, finding the pulse in her neck beating weakly. She did the same for her father, and when she was certain that they were both still living, she let the red creep back in.

Whatever had done this would pay.

She got up from the floor and ran through the rest of the house, finding the back wall blown through and the furniture in complete disarray. There was yelling and crashing coming from the back, and so that's where she went. As soon as she passed under what remained of the door, she could see Stella fighting off a bigger, uglier, and bluer version of the ogre she had fought earlier. Didn't those things know when to give up?

Stella shouted another spell and rays of light hit the ogre - _troll_ her mind corrected for her - knocking it to the ground. However, this beast seemed to be far stronger than the ogre, as it got up without a scratch, grunting and roaring in irritation. Stella seemed to be at a loss, dodging the charging troll and narrowly missing it as it smashed its fist into the ground right where her head would have been.

Perhaps it was stupidity, perhaps it was some need to feel important and avenge her parents, but Bloom threw all caution to the wind and charged the troll. It was no surprise when it backhanded her into the fence right behind Stella, Bloom's ribs aching as she tried to catch her breath. The pain only made her angrier, the fire brimming up under her skin as it had before.

Stella was the one to run this time, striking the troll with her scepter, sending it stumbling back. Her power was running out. She was still weak from the fight in the park and Bloom could see her knees shaking and the sweat beading on her drawn forehead. This girl was going to die trying to protect her - one more person she had gotten into trouble. That thought was enough to send her over the edge.

The fire reached its peak, and when the troll went to charge them, Bloom aimed that fire right at it. The force of her energy sent the monster flying back, cratering the ground where it landed. It howled, skin steaming and burnt where the attack made contact. Bloom should've been happy. Instead of victory, all she felt was extreme exhaustion. Her knees buckled and she sunk to the ground, the red fading out of her vision as her strength left her. She had thrown everything into that attack, and her body was not having anymore.

Unfortunately, the troll got up. It was worse for wear, but still standing. Slowly, it hulked over to Bloom, it's massive, stinking frame towering over her menacingly. Bloom wanted to fight back but couldn't. She was too weak, and Stella was nowhere to be found. The troll raised its meaty fist - the size of her head - above her bent frame.

 _So, this is how it ends,_ Bloom thought, accepting defeat. _At least I'll be with my parents..._

Instead of a fist, Bloom felt a great gust of wind blow through her hair. Looking up, she no longer saw the troll above her, but instead a massive, hovering red ship. Loud shouts came from in front of her, and she shifted her gaze to see the troll being tied up with glowing blue restraints, five guys in cream colored jump suits and capes getting the job done supervised by Stella. At least that solved the mystery of where she went...

When the guys were done and the troll taken care of and beamed back on the ship, Stella went over to help Bloom up. She was shaky on her feet, but Stella let her lean on her shoulder for support.

"I thought you'd left," Bloom mumbled.

"I just needed to bring in some help," she explained, a guilty expression on her face. "These are Specialists from Red Fountain."

"Specialists?"

"They're like heroes. They go to hero school."

That sounded pretentious and a little fake, but Bloom didn't have the energy to argue or ask more questions. She just rolled with it and watched the so-called heroes clean up what they could of the mess the monster had made.

"Hey Stel - I think we've about wrapped this one up," a guy with short brown hair said as he came up to the two of them, pointing to Bloom. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Bloom lied, trying to disguise the discomfort in her voice. Her ribs hurt with every breath and she was sure she had a concussion, but other than that, she was _fine_.

"You should really let us look at you. You probably need some serious medical attention," the brunet insisted, gesturing to the ship. "I have all the supplies on board."

But Bloom wasn't thinking about herself anymore. No, at the sound of 'medical attention' she was thinking about two entirely different people.

"Does anyone have a phone?" Bloom asked, panic settling back in as she remembered her parents in the kitchen. "Like NOW?"

"Yeah, I do," a blond-haired guy said as he pulled a strange looking device out of his pocket and gave it to her.

She didn't even thank him as she snatched it out of his hand and hastily dialed an ambulance. There was no way she was going to let the hero boys touch her parents with mystery supplies from their flying ship. She didn't trust them, at least not with this. She was only hoping that whoever got there came in time to save the only two people that she loved.

* * *

Stella told her that she and the Red Fountain guys would wait for her outside the hospital when the ambulance arrived. Since Bloom was allowed to ride inside, she was separated from the group, but trusted that they'd keep their word. All the guys looked pityingly up at her and she hated them for it. She really shouldn't have glared - they were only trying to help - but she couldn't shake the feeling that if they had gotten there a little earlier then all of this would not have happened. If only she had ignored Stella in the park and let the ogre take her ring, maybe her parents wouldn't be breathing through tubes and oxygen masks.

When she got to the Emergency Room, the nurses had to physically restrain her from running in after the two identical stretchers. She eventually was allowed back once they were stabilized, allowed to touch their papery, cold hands and watch them breath mechanically through ventilators. It was haunting to see two vibrant, lively people reduced to vegetables.

 _They aren't vegetables_ , she reminded herself, chanting it like a mantra. They still had brain function, but to Bloom, they might as well have been. It wasn't like a medical coma was any better.

The doctor told her that the coma was to protect them, to help their brains heal. What he found harder to say was that sometimes people just didn't wake up. That terrified Bloom. She was only sixteen years old. She had no idea what the world was like or how to live on her own. It wasn't like she had extended family that she could run to if the worst happened. No, she would live out her worst fears and be completely and utterly alone.

When she finally had enough of the haunting shells of her parents, she moved to the waiting room where nurses gave her lots of forms to fill out. Insurance information, personal information, health records, income, and any other scrap of identification they could come up with. The most offending of all was the last form. Bloom almost signed off on it without thinking before she realized that it was an authorization form to pull the plug.

She spent an hour just staring at that last form, up to the clock, and back. She watched the hands tick away minutes of her parents' lives - minutes spent in sleep that they would never be able to get back. It was late now, this night ending far differently than how the day began. How strange it was to think that her life could be turned upside down in such a short time...

"Bloom, I know I said I would wait outside, but..." Stella stammered, interrupting Bloom's thoughts while trying to catch her breath, as she had clearly been in a rush to get there. "We need to go. The troll that came after you is just the first. The creeps who are after me must be after you now, and they're gonna keep sending creatures to kill you. I know this is my fault. I'm so sorry. I'm going to make this right, I promise, but I have to protect you to do that...I need to get you somewhere safe...Are you even listening to me?"

Bloom had been listening, but only half so. She got bits and pieces, the important parts - especially the part where she had to leave. She didn't want to leave. Her parents were here; her home was here. But she could see how staying would put them in more danger. If someone was after her, then she would have to lead them away from the things she loved most.

"I don't blame you Stella," Bloom replied tiredly.

A half-lie. She did resent Stella for bringing her into this world of magic and chaos. A lot, actually. But that didn't mean she knew what was going to happen to her parents. That was yet another example of how Bloom's life was just meant to suck, and she couldn't fault Stella for what the universe had already deemed was fair.

"Well I do," Stella said softly, the first sensitive thing she'd said all day. "Come on, we have to go. The guys are out back. They have the ship primed and ready to leave as soon as we get there."

"Where are we going?"

"Alfea. It's the only place with protections strong enough to stop whatever it is that wants us."

Bloom nodded. Of course they would be headed there: to the magical school Stella had so excitedly shown her through the carpet portal just a few hours ago. It seemed like a dream - a far away place where she could only fantasize of going. Now, the glittering appeal of the school wore off. Alfea was a shelter, a last resort for the hopeless little Bloom. She had nowhere else to turn and so Stella would take her in out of pity, open the doors to the exclusive school in order to ease her own conscious.

It was strange, how distrusting and morbid she was. When she was a child, her classmate's mother had developed cancer and Bloom was the only one to get her to look on the bright side and smile. Now that it was her own mother lying on a hospital bed, it was hard to see a bright side, especially when there was no one there to provide the smiles.

She needed to go. Time was of the essence and Stella was waiting at the end of the hall. But that didn't stop Bloom from stopping out front of her parent's room to say one last goodbye. Visiting hours were over, but she could see the rise and fall of their chests through the glass, bodies lying in contrast to the white walls and sterile surroundings. They looked so peaceful, so serene in their sleep. But it wouldn't be sleeping for long, not if she had untying to say about it.

"I'm not giving up on you guys," she swore, her hand firm on the glass of the window. "I will be back and I will make this right."

She tore the form up, the little pieces scattering behind her as she left.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The ride to Alfea was longer now that they were going by ship instead of magic carpet. Bloom didn't mind though. She spent her ride in silence, compiling thoughts in her mind as she crafted ways she could save her parents. She refused to think of the final outcome as grim. She couldn't handle that, not now that her world was falling apart and changing by the second.

Everyone gave her her space too, which was nice. The blond guy with the blue eyes kept looking her way, as if trying to decide whether to talk to her or not. As cute as he was, Bloom was glad he kept his distance. He was not the kind of distraction she needed at the moment.

Eventually the familiar forests appeared outside the ship's window and they started their descent, landing just a few minutes outside of the Alfea campus.

"Here we are ladies, the Alfea College for Fairies," announced the ginger pilot, his voice far too chipper for Bloom's liking, especially given the situation, but she supposed someone had to stay on the bright side of things.

"Thanks Timmy," Stella said on her way out. Bloom gave him a curt nod, not capable of much speech yet.

"You two stay safe, you hear?" the brunet instructed, though mostly to Stella. He seemed taken with her, and she with him, and Bloom did not have time for it.

"We will," Stella assured him, stepping a bit closer. "Thanks for the save, my hero."

She pecked him on the cheek and dashed off, Bloom close by her side as they boys reloaded the plane and soared away. Bloom wished she could be more excited for Stella, but the blatant display of affection was callous and rude. Bloom had just lost everything and there Stella was, flaunting a possible new romance right in front of her face. It made her mad enough that the red edges came back into view, but as soon as Bloom saw them, she shocked herself into seeing straight. It didn't take an idiot to figure out that anger was her trigger, but she would have to be a lot more careful if even tiny things were enough to set off the red.

The pearly pink gates of the college were just as Bloom remembered them from her short trip, though this close up, she could see just how large they truly were. They were much bigger than the tallest tower of the college, though they stood without a fence. Bloom wondered what the point was, but then realized as she passed under the wings that the fence was not only magical, but alarmed.

Lights immediately flooded the campus green, causing Bloom to squint and flinch away from the assaulting brightness. A moment later, two older women appeared in front of them, both cross though one far more than the other. It was the tall brunette lady that looked scary, the smaller silver haired woman looking more disappointed than anything.

"My office, now," the older woman commanded, her voice strong despite her age, and Bloom felt the urge to comply. Stella looked like a dog with its tail between its legs, caught in the act of something it shouldn't be doing. That's when Bloom realized that sneaking off to Earth, causing property damage, and then sneaking back onto campus at two in the morning was most likely against every rule the college had. Bloom wondered how quickly they would be kicked out before they even got the chance to settle in.

They all walked back to the woman's office in heavy silence, no one daring to speak up until the double doors were shut and they were left alone in the vast office space.

"Headmistress Faragonda, this is Bloom Peters of Earth," Stella introduced, gesturing for Bloom to step forward.

"Hello dear, I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your parents," the old woman said, her sympathy genuine.

"Thank you," Bloom said barely above a whisper, taking a seat across from the large desk Miss Faragonda was sitting at. Stella followed suit and sat down next to Bloom so that the only person standing was the stern brunette woman who was still glaring at them.

"Miss Griselda and I have been made aware of your current situation, and given the severity, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need. You can even choose to enroll in classes for the new year if you wish, as it so happens that Princess Varanda of Callisto has declined to attend Alfea this year."

"Thank you Headmistress. That's kind of you," Bloom said sincerely, though the idea of picking up a new life so quickly was dizzying.

"She'll take it," Stella answered for Bloom, who shot her a desperate look. Bloom needed to find a way to help her parents, not waste time flying around a magic fairy school regardless if she was one or not.

"I know what you must be thinking Miss Peters, but believe me when I say you are doing your parents more good remaining here and strengthening yourself rather than falling into the line of fire out there. I encourage you to enroll in classes so that you will be prepared for whatever happens next," Miss Faragonda said with conviction, as if trying to convince Bloom to stay.

"But my parents...will I learn how to heal them?" Bloom asked desperately.

"I will do everything within my ability to find a way to reverse what has been done to them."

"Miss Faragonda has insane magical abilities Bloom. Don't worry, your parents are in the best hands in the Magical Dimension," Stella assured, seeming far too nonchalant for Bloom's liking.

"Thank you Stella, though flattery will not make me forget what you did to the potions lab last year," Miss Faragonda replied, her patience growing thin at the constant commentary. "Going off on an unsanctioned mission, involving the Red Fountain Specialists, and calling attention to magic on Earth is not a good way to start off this school year either."

"That's my fault, not Stella's," Bloom stepped in, trying to save Stella from too much shame. "I shouldn't have tried to stop the ogre. I had no idea what I was getting into, and because of my failed attempt at heroics, I made myself a target."

"But you also saved my life," Stella countered, looking at Bloom gratefully.

"Regardless, what's done is done and nothing can change that," Miss Faragonda settled the subject, folding her hands thoughtfully on her desk. "Though, you have yet to tell me what kind of powers you possess."

"I'm...not sure..." Bloom stammered, already afraid of the looks she was getting from the two older women.

"Oh?" Miss Griselda asked, her eyebrows raised and one eye squinted in scrutiny, perhaps thinking if she stared hard enough she could deduce the powers Bloom possessed. Miss Faragonda looked skeptical as well, her kindness harboring an edge now.

"Yeah. I actually didn't even know I had any until yesterday," Bloom confessed, thinking she might as well come clean if she was already half way there.

"But they're super strong. She took out that ogre and most of the ghouls pretty much singlehandedly," Stella added, as if trying to validate the existence of Bloom's powers.

"Technically the ogre ran away..." Bloom reminded her, recalling how it dissolved in a beam of light right in front of her eyes, leaving Bloom to deal with its mess.

"Yeah, after you whooped it's butt. I saw that blast of power you dealt him before I blacked out, and then again at your house" Stella bragged, making Bloom more and more uncomfortable. "This girl has some major Winx Miss F. You should've seen it."

"Yes, I should've," the Headmistress agreed, looking at Bloom pensively. "We've gone through a lot tonight. Perhaps it's best if the two of you got some sleep. It's late, and classes start in the morning. We can continue discussing this at some other point."

"Sure," Stella agree, getting up and stretching. "I could use some beauty rest. Come on Bloom, I'll show you to our room. Varanda was supposed to be my roommate, so I guess now that's you."

"Goodnight girls," the two women dismissed them, the double doors opening with a wave of the Headmistress' hand.

Bloom did not miss the old woman's eyes on the back of her head as they got up to leave, nor how they stared and stared and stared until Bloom could feel her skin prickle. She didn't like being watched, and when she turned around, she could see Miss Faragonda and Miss Griselda talking quietly to one another, all the while looking at Bloom until the doors shut behind them.

* * *

"I don't think Miss Faragonda likes me very much," Bloom said once they were down the hall from the Headmistress' office, mostly to herself but loud enough for Stella to hear.

"Don't be silly Bloom. If anything, it's me she can't stand," Stella said dismissively, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"She was staring at me when we left like something was wrong with me. There was a frown and everything."

"She's probably just confused how a fairy was found on Earth," Stella explained, though the way she said it - as if the answer was obvious - grated on Bloom's nerves. "You have to realize that until now, Earth was considered a dead planet. No magic whatsoever. Then you show up and completely change the game. It's gotta be a lot to take in when you're as old as Miss F."

"I guess you're right," Bloom sighed, not wanting to get into anything this late at night and especially as exhausted as she was. "She must be what, seventy years old?"

"Seventy? Think bigger _dahling_ ," she drew out dramatically, shaking her head at Bloom. "Miss F is well over a century old and will still probably outlive us all."

"Wow..." was all Bloom could say. Did magic give people the power to live forever? If so, she hoped that she had not been granted that ability, not with how her life was going so far. "How is that even possible?"

"She's a fairy godmother amongst dozens of other things. Basically she's so powerful that not even death can stop her," Stella said nonchalantly, though there was an underlying mix of awe and pride. "There's a rumor going around that she's being scouted as the next Nymph of Magix but I don't think she'll ever leave this school. She's like, the heart of this place. If she left, the school would fall apart."

"Nymph of Magix?"

"My goodness you really don't know anything do you?" Stella asked, as if that question and not the dozens she'd asked before were enough to give that away. "We will have to have a serious Magix 101 crash course in the morning. But not now. Now, it's bedtime."

Stella stopped in front of a door identical to all the others lined on the hall. She double-checked the number before pulling out her key and twisting the doorknob open, letting Bloom step in first. The room inside was large and spacious, a common area set up in the middle with couches and tables and chairs scattered about. There were green doors along the walls, most likely leading to bedrooms and the bathroom.

"That room has already been claimed," Stella pointed to the green door off to the side of the common space, the door already tightly shut for the night. "Your room is on the other side."

Bloom looked across the living space and saw a door identical to the shut one, but this one was cracked open as if awaiting her arrival.

"Where will you sleep?"

"I requested the single room," Stella pointed to the intricate double doors at the back of the space. "I have a hard time sharing. That, and my closet is far too big to be shoved in a shared wardrobe. This way, I can bring my entire collection with ease."

Of course Stella would do that. She was a spoiled princess after all. Sharing must be a foreign concept to someone who was given everything since birth.

"Goodnight Bloom, see you in the morning!" Stella said, walking over to her door, making a show of how tired she was as she yawned and stretched.

"Goodnight," Bloom waved Stella off, her blonde head disappearing through the door.

Bloom made her way to her room, sneaking inside as to not wake up her roommate. When she shut the door and looked around, she was surprised to see that instead of a normal dorm room, it looked like she had stepped into a greenhouse. She went over to the unoccupied bed and placed her duffle bag down on it, sorting through her meager belongings. She didn't want to pack too much; there was no need to act like she was going to stay here for long.

What Bloom needed after this hell of a day was a long, hot shower. She grabbed her pajamas, toothbrush, and towel out of her bag and walked over to where she assumed the bathroom was. Only, on her way there, she tripped over something that caused her to stumble forward.

"Hey, watch it!" came a whiny, deep voice. Bloom down and noticed she had stepped on a rather thick vine, then looked up to see a plant the size of her head actually _scowling_ at her. Freaked out, Bloom took a few steps back, only to run smack into someone else. The girl went sprawling on the floor, as did her cup of water which spilled all down the front of her sleep blouse.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you," Bloom apologizing profusely, placing her own things aside to reach down and help the girl up. From this angle, she could see straight down the girl's ample cleavage, the see-through wetness of her blouse clinging to her every curve. She was very beautiful, Bloom noted, and she had to physically shake her head to clear her wandering thoughts.

"That's fine sweetie," the girl said kindly, her voice soft and sugary like honey. "You must be Bloom. My name is Flora, the Fairy of Nature. I can see you've already met Boris. I hope he hasn't been giving you too much trouble."

"No, he's fine. I was just surprised to see so many plants inside," Bloom said gesturing to the room around them. "Do all of them talk?"

"That's my fault," Flora replied sheepishly, lovingly stroking Boris' leaves. "I've been using this space as a place to conduct a few experiments. And no, not all of them talk, but a few do. They make great company."

"Experiments?"

"Harmless things. Testing which plants grow in which environments best. It's a passion of mine," Flora explained, a blush lightly coloring her cheeks as she kept talking. "But I'll be sure to get this all out of your way."

"It's not a big deal. Hopefully I won't be here long anyway."

"You're not a student?" Flora asked, her cheerful expression clouding with confusion.

"Not technically..." Bloom said, rubbing the back of her neck as she tried to find a way to explain. "I was offered a spot here for as long as I need it, but I'm planning on going back home as soon as I learn how to heal my parents."

"That's too bad," Flora lamented, looking genuinely sad. "I was looking forward to being friends."

"We can still be friends," Bloom suggested, not wanting to hurt Flora's feelings. "I'm still going to be here for the foreseeable future."

"I'd like that," Flora smiled widely and gave Bloom a tight hug. Flora's skin was warm despite the dampness of her top, and she smelled like roses and vanilla. Bloom had the feeling she didn't want to let go, but social norms dictated that she had to, and so reluctantly released the Fairy of Nature.

"Well, I was just gonna take a shower," Bloom gathered up her things and nodded towards the door.

"It's the smaller door near the back of the common space," Flora said, her smile wide. "Do you want me to show you?"

"No," Bloom insisted, perhaps a little too vehemently. Flora looked curious, almost hurt, and cocked her head to the side questioningly. But Bloom really couldn't tell her it was because there was something about Flora that made her want to stare at her supple curves a little too long, and the context that surrounded a bathroom was a bit too much for Bloom to handle at the moment. "I mean, no thank you. I'm sure I can find it."

"Okay sweetie," Flora said, the kindness unfazed. "I'll probably be asleep by the time you get back, so goodnight."

"Goodnight Flora," Bloom replied. The girl smiled back before padding off to her own bed and getting in.

Bloom let out a sigh of relief once she locked herself in the bathroom, leaning up against the door and groaning. A cold shower was exactly what she needed. She was just confused, caught off guard after such a long and strenuous day. There was nothing appealing about her very beautiful, busty, and pretty much perfect roommate. There was nothing appealing about how her hair fell in soft waves over her tanned shoulders, nothing appealing about those brown doe eyes, and definitely nothing appealing about the way her nipples stood out in her blouse, practically straining against the damp fabric. Nope, nothing at all.

 _Fuck_ , Bloom swore both mentally and under her breath. _Get yourself together. Focus on what's important: your parents._

A cold shower was definitely what she was going to do. Then she was going to tuck herself into bed and promptly ignore Flora for the rest of the hopefully brief time she spent in this magical freak school. It would be easy, right?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

True to her word, Flora was asleep by the time Bloom came back in from her shower. Unfortunately, the cold shower was not effective. Upon seeing her roommate thinly veiled by pink sheets, the outline of her rear end, the dramatic dip in the base of her spine, and those long, long legs, all the thoughts Bloom tried so hard to block out came back in full force. It was clear that this girl was not going to go away easily, but Bloom was not going to give into a fleeting infatuation. She had never been attracted to a girl before, and now was not the time to start entertaining those kinds of ideas.

Unfortunately her dreams had other plans.

In her dreams, Flora was there to greet her at the door. They stood face to face before falling to the bed, getting lost in a tangle of limbs. Flora would shed her clothes piece by pieces, her blouse the last thing to go and her breasts would bounce into place as they were freed, pert nipples pink and rosy. The scent of vanilla and roses was overwhelming as she pressed that perfectly hot body onto Bloom's. Somehow Bloom was naked as well, the sparks of electricity running down their joined skin exhilarating.

There was red too, but this red was different. This red was warm. This red was welcome. This red surged with each brush of skin, with each pull and tug and gasp. It pushed and pulled and drove her to the edge of ecstasy and back. And then when Flora touched her right there, oh, the red flooded every one of her senses, pulling her into a sea of pleasure.

And then the sensations became much more powerful, much more visceral. Flora would touch but the pleasure was coming elsewhere, somewhere deeper in her body. Flora's lips traced patterns on her collarbone, but the kisses were felt lower, pressed into the soles of her feet, her calves, climbing higher and higher. While Flora's lips pulled on her earlobe, the pulling came from somewhere else entirely, somewhere that felt like lightning had struck her.

Bloom's eyes flew open, her body arching up off the bed at the particularly powerful surge of pleasure, pulling her out of her slumber. She couldn't seem to catch her breath, the shocks running down her abdomen and pulsing in her core making her feel like she was on fire. Her hands fisted in the sheets, and when she pulled them off the lower half of her body, the sight that met her took her breath away.

Flora's head was between her legs, gentle hands spreading Bloom apart and pressing into the soft flesh of her inner thigh while her mouth worked on her core. Flora was sucking and licking Bloom's folds as if she needed it to live, her tongue diving so far deep into her center Bloom thought the girl was going to eat her way straight to her heart. Flora's tongue lapped over Bloom's sensitive clit, circling it wetly before sucking on it with a tender yet desperate edge, making Bloom gasp. Bloom's fingers threaded through Flora's hair, keeping the girl's head in place as she worked her mouth.

Bloom had never experienced so much pleasure. Her thighs were quivering, her toes curling as her body tensed. Her release was soon, and all Bloom could do was stare glassy-eyed at Flora as she watched her swollen lips wrap themselves around her folds over and over again. The sight was far more beautiful than she could have possibly dreamed, better than her earlier fantasies. No amount of dreaming could capture the hooded allure of Flora's dark eyes, pupils blown wide in lust and locking passionately with Bloom's as she sucked the soul out of her.

"Flora..." Bloom moaned, her vision starting to go red at the edges. "Flora you need to stop..."

Flora hummed in dissent, sending delicious vibrations that ran up and down Bloom's body, causing her to gasp sharply. But the warning signs were there. This was like Andy all over again, and if she didn't get Flora to detach from her pussy, then Bloom would have another life on her hands. It would be hard; the pleasure was reaching a crescendo. Bloom was so close. Just another minute and she would come all over Flora just like the girl wanted. But that was wrong...so wrong...she had to stop. Couldn't let Flora die, not for her own pleasure.

"Flora...Flora STOP," Bloom commanded, her voice quavering but strong. And surprisingly enough, Flora obeyed. She sat up, her lips still swollen and eyes hooded, but this time, she almost looked dazed.

"Wha...what's going on?" she slurred her words, her body wavering back and forth, like she was going to topple over. It almost looked like she was sleepwalking, but Bloom had never seen anything like this. It was kind of scary if she were honest. What was more scary was the thought of Flora coming back to full consciousness while she was still situated between Bloom's bare legs.

"This isn't real Flora...It's just a dream," Bloom told the drowsy girl. It was like she was in a trance, her eyes half lidded, completely unaware of what was going on and it was freaking Bloom out.

"What...where am I?" she asked groggily, her head lolling to the side as she tried to look at her surroundings.

"You're in your bed. You're dreaming," Bloom insisted, this time more forcefully. "Really vividly dreaming. Just go back to bed."

"Back to bed..." Flora trailed off.

She got up jerkily from Bloom's bed, stumbling back to her own thankfully without falling over. She collapsed onto her mattress, planting face first into her pillow and falling right back asleep, regardless of her sheets or other blankets. When Bloom was convinced that Flora was truly asleep, she let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

 _What the fuck was that?_ She asked herself, her mind screaming with uncertainties. _How the hell did that just happen? What was going on with Flora?_

There was so much that Bloom didn't know. She didn't know what came over Flora, why she felt the need to eat her out, or why she was acting so strangely when Bloom told her to stop. All Bloom knew was that she did stop, and that was good because being implicated in the murder of a fellow student would be horrible, especially since she just arrived at the only place strong enough to keep whoever the hell was after her away. Not that Bloom was going to kill Flora, it was just that she had already lost Andy to sex, and now with the red anger in her and the news that she was a fairy...well...she was a loose canon. Bloom didn't know what she was capable of, and now was not the time to test her limits.

However, Bloom was fully capable of masturbating, which was what she was going to need to do now that Flora left her so close to the edge. A very dissatisfying end to her perfect fantasy.

* * *

Bloom woke up to her alarm in the morning, very grateful to find out that Flora had no recollection of the night before. Thankfully, that little stunt had squelched any more inappropriate ideas in Bloom's mind, at least for the moment. Now there was a niggling fear of what could happen should she do that again. Flora didn't seem to notice if Bloom was acting weirdly, going off to shower before class started. Bloom took her time getting dressed, ready to get through her first day of magic school.

"Good morning sunshine!" Stella greeted Bloom upon seeing her in the common space the next morning.

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you?" Bloom asked, unable to stop the smile on her face though she still felt guilty for it.

"Ugh, that's so stereotypical Bloom," Stella scoffed, though she meant it kindly. Bloom was starting to learn that Stella's way of communication was fifty percent sarcasm and fifty percent snark, so nothing mean she said was every truly meant to be cruel. It just so happened that fashionista beauty queens only knew how to be petty divas, and Bloom was okay with that.

"Where are our other roomies?" Bloom asked, looking around the common space. Flora was still asleep, not woken up from her trance last night. Bloom checked her pulse and it was steady, so she just figured the girl would wake up in her own time, hopefully before class started. However, the other two had yet to be seen.

"I don't know. Maybe still sleeping. They're cutting it close, though Palladium is a huge pushover. He'd never count them as late."

"Palladium?"

"He's the Potionology professor."

"Potionology...like the lab the Headmistress said you blew up?"

"Hey, it was an accident! I was simply trying to create a new shade of pink and poof! There went the walls. My family donated all the money for repairs plus upgrades, so I don't know why she is still bitter about that."

Bloom simply shook her head and sighed. Yep. Stella was a walking spoiled rich girl stereotype.

"I'm going to go look around, see if I can find the other girls," Bloom said, walking towards the door that was locked last night.

"Mmm okay. I'm going to head out to the breakfast hall. Meet you there."

Bloom nodded and watched Stella leave. Flora was still in the bathroom but her other two roommates had yet to make an appearance, so Bloom might as well go make her introductions before class. She knocked on the door, but it was muffled somehow, like the sound was carried away from the room. She tried again but the same phenomenon happened. Intrigued, Bloom pressed her ear up to the door; she could hear sounds coming from within, snippets of sound and a dull thumping. Was someone playing music loudly? Fed up, she decided to just walk in. After all, it was the early morning. The worst she could find was two very pissed off girls being shaken from their beauty sleep.

That was, until she walked in on the two girls scissoring on one of the twin beds, both gasping profanely and grasping for sweaty skin.

Bloom was momentarily shocked, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. But when she did, her mind immediately caught fire and she ran out of the room, slamming the door shut loudly so both girls knew they had been walked in on.

"I am so sorry," Bloom apologized loud enough for them to hear through the door, completely mortified at having invaded their privacy so crudely. "I had no idea, I didn't mean-"

"No worries," said one of the girls, calling Bloom back in. Her voice was raspy yet not unpleasant, and she smiled genuinely for Bloom's sake. "We weren't exactly quiet about it."

Bloom shakily reopened the door and found the two girls covered in blankets this time, both watching her curiously. They were a strange couple, one with pale skin and dark raven hair and the other just as pale but with hair dyed a bright shade of magenta and cropped short.

"I told you there was a seventy two point three five percent chance that my muting charm would wear off if I lost focus," the magenta-haired girl told the raven-haired girl, her accent strange and lofty. It was clear that she was well educated and intelligent. Surely she earned her spot at Alfea more than Bloom did.

"I'm not sorry you lost focus," the raven-haired girl teased, leaning her forehead close to the magenta-haired girl's. "I love hearing the sounds you make."

"Okay I'm still here," Bloom reminded them, very uncomfortable with the situation.

"Sorry," they both apologized, though Bloom could tell they didn't mean it. If it were up to them, they'd get back to fucking right about now. They were just stopping because of Bloom, and she wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.

"I'm Musa, Fairy of Music," the raven-haired girl introduced herself, "And this is Tecna, Fairy of Technology."

"I'm Bloom, and I don't know what I'm the fairy of yet."

"Oh so _you're_ that Earth girl they found on the quad last night. Cool," Musa nodded, having no problem whatsoever with Bloom's strange circumstance.

"The likelihood of magic being found on Earth is estimated at one hundred thousand million to one," Tecna replied, spouting out statistics as if she were a human calculator. "How intriguing it is to be in the presence of the one."

"Yeah...I find it really weird too," Bloom agreed, unnerved by the intensity of Tecna's gaze.

"Don't mind her. Once you get past her robot speak, she's actually quite endearing," Musa told Bloom as she elbowed Tecna gently in the ribs, giving her a hard time.

"I'm not a robot," Tecna pouted.

"Of course not babe," Musa replied, kissing her nose before getting up off the bed and wrapping a sheet around her body. "Now get up, time to get ready for class."

"I've already memorized all the necessary texts."

"Of course you have," Musa said casually, sorting through her wardrobe. She found what she wanted not hanging up, but in the hamper. She cast a quick blur of magic over the garments and they looked good as new, not a rumple or stain in sight. "Bloom, how much time until class?"

"About half an hour. Stella is waiting for us in the breakfast hall."

"Perfect. We'll see you there, okay?" Musa said, pulling her hair up into high pigtails.

"Yeah, sure, good," Bloom stammered, getting the hint to leave and grateful for her chance.

She shut the door tightly behind her, trying to shake the images of two more of her roommates naked out of her brain. It was insane what was happening, how many sexual situations she was finding herself in in such a short amount of time. Were fairies just hornier people in general? If so, Bloom was going to have a hard time keeping herself in check, as well as her strange behaviors.

Determined to return to normal, Bloom grabbed her backpack and headed down to the breakfast hall. It was already busy, most of the students already seated around long banquet style tables. The student populace was not that much - maybe a few hundred girls in all the grades total. Still, that was a few hundred more fairies she now knew existed than yesterday. She found Stella sitting in the middle of one of the tables, a few extra seats saved around her. Bloom sat across from the blonde who was picking at her assorted fruits and eggs.

"Can you believe it? They don't have low carb croissants!" Stella immediately complained, eyeing the delicious pastries with jealousy.

"So?" Bloom asked, taking one for herself.

"SO?" Stella asked incredulously, looking down at herself. "I'm trying to lose weight."

"You look fine to me."

Stella only scowled and speared a piece of her fruit, munching on it bitterly. They didn't speak until Flora came down and sat right next to Stella, much to Bloom's relief. A few moments later, Musa and Tecna came down, choosing to sit across from one another, Musa next to Bloom and Tecna next to Flora. They all started menial conversation about the weather and upcoming classes, comparing horror stories of what they'd heard about Miss Griselda and how picky Professor DuFour was. Bloom was desperately out of the loop, but laughed along with the group when someone mocked Professor Wizgiz's hat and how high pitched Professor Palladium's voice was.

Eventually, Stella got up to complain to the cook about the lack of low carb meal options, and Tecna went to go to class early. Flora was busying herself with a plant she kept in her purse, so Bloom was left with Musa. It was awkward for Bloom, but she couldn't speak for Musa. The only thing the girl seemed concerned with was finishing her third plate of eggs and bacon.

"I'm sorry, I just feel like I need to apologize again for earlier," Bloom said out of the blue, earning a surprised look from Musa.

"Listen girl, it's okay, really. I'm not worked up about it, Tecna's not worked up about it, so you shouldn't be either."

"So how long have you two...you know...been together?" Bloom asked Musa out of the blue, her voice nervous and unsure, her hands still shaking from walking in on them earlier.

"Tec and I? Nah we're not together," Musa shook her head and took a big bite of her eggs.

"But this morning..." Bloom started, not even sure where she wanted to start with her questions.

"We were just fucking around, literally," Musa said nonchalantly, throwing around personal details as if they weren't sensitive. "It doesn't mean anything. We're really good friends who also happen to have really good sex. I know that in reality, her heart is in her computers and I've been eyeing up this really cute Red Fountain boy. Killer body, dark hair, and the moodiest fuck-me-now eyes. But what can I say? I'm a sucker for the broody type."

"He sounds...charming?" Bloom tried, and Musa chuckled, reaching over to steal one of the fruits Stella left behind.

"What about you? Have any guys? Girls? Both?" Musa asked, noisily taking a bite of apple.

"There used to be this one guy...but he um...he died..."

"Tough break, sorry girl," Musa apologized, running her hand along Bloom's back comfortingly.

"Yeah it sucked and it still does. I'm not over it. I thought he was the one."

It was still strange for her to think of Andy in the past tense. To her, he was still just as real as he ever was. And she knew that wasn't a healthy thing - to live in denial like that - but it was better than the alternative of crying on her floor for hours and hours every day like she did for weeks after the funeral.

"Hey, well with looks like yours, you could get over it ten years from now and there'd still be a line of guys waiting for you to notice them."

"Yeah Bloom, I was wondering what was up with your looks," Stella chimed in. She was back from complaining and had clearly been eavesdropping, leaning over the table, a hint of judgement and jealousy in her gaze as she raked her eyes up and down Bloom's body. "Is that all natural or just some really powerful glamor charm?"

"I've always looked like this...unfortunately..." Bloom replied, now self conscious as she wrapped her arms around her body protectively.

"Unfortunately? I would _kill_ to look like that," Stella replied passionately. "Especially since the Miss Magix pageant is coming up in a few months. I really want to win and if I had your body, I'd be a shoe in."

"Sorry Stella," Bloom apologized, though she wasn't really sure what for. It was just a reflex. Something went wrong in association with her and and automatically apologized.

"Hey, time for class," Musa said, swinging her legs over the bench and scooping up her book bag. "Better get moving before Palladium knocks our grades down."

"Please, like he'd even consider it," Stella scoffed, but she still grabbed her designer hand bag off the table and strung in over her arm. Flora followed suit and tucked her plant away, scribbling something down in a journal before putting that away as well. Bloom had no idea what kind of experiments she was doing, but they sure did seem to consume her life.

"You of all people should be wanting to make a good impression on him this year," Musa reminded Stella pointedly.

"Blah blah blah heard it all before," Stella griped, crossing her arms over her chest while the rest of the girls giggled.

The four of them walked to class together, and already Bloom could see a group forming and she was right in the middle of it. And no matter how great it was that she was making friends, it still felt wrong to create a new family when her real family was worlds away fighting for their lives.


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello loves! Here is the sixth installment, following right along the Winx Club timeline. This chapter follows S1E3, "Save the First Dance" (if you're following the 4kids version) and so you know some important stuff happens! I don't own Winx Club or any of the dialogue I took from the episode. Hope you loves enjoy and be sure to give me love on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 6

'Look in the mirror, focus your Winx, and go!' Professor Wizgiz had said earlier in class.

 _Yeah, as if it were that simple,_ she grumbled to herself. It was easy for him to say that while he was changing into Miss Griselda and jumping around the class like some hyperactive rabbit. Bloom had barely received two days worth of magical education and she was supposed to be able to change her hair color on a whim? Those were impossible expectations.

'It's a little early to fall behind! You have a lot of homework to do!' Professor Wizgiz had reprimanded, embarrassing her in front of the whole class that had managed to change their hair into a rainbow of colors. Stella had offered her help back in the room, but help really just meant giving Bloom one idea and then pouting when it didn't turn out as planned. Then again, what else did Bloom really expect from the spoiled, lazy princess?

The current morning was off to a similar start. Bloom was up all night trying to get her transformations down that she barely slept a wink, and it was all for nothing. The closest she got to a color change was the slight shift in the shade of her bangs. Using so much magic was exhausting, not to mention taxing on her focus. She was about to fall face-first into her oatmeal had the Headmistress decided not to make some noise.

"Young ladies, your attention please! I have a very exciting announcement to make," Headmistress Faragonda's voice soared over breakfast hall. "As is the Alfea tradition, we will kick off the new school year with a forma dance. Our back to school gala will take place tonight and our special guests will be the boys from the Red Fountain School for Heroics and Bravery. We hope you will be warm and friendly hostesses and make them feel right at home!"

"But not too friendly," Griselda warned, clapping her hands. "Chaperones will be there, and love spells and crush potions are forbidden!"

Love spells? Crush potions? Those were actual things? Bloom didn't even want to entertain the idea. As if the fairies she'd met weren't horny enough, they had to add magical means to get into people's pants. Ridiculous.

Still, some of the girls around the hall looked disappointed, upset even. Were they planning to drug and date rape these guys or something? She got creeped out just thinking about it.

"But dancing is encouraged, and the boys will bring surprises for all so I'm sure you'll have a lovely time," Miss Faragonda continued, not wanting to end on a sour note. "I remember my first dance at Alfea...I met my husband there. Anyway it will be an evening full of enchantment."

The announcement ended when Miss Faragonda sat down, and the hall broke out into excited chatter. Stella immediately started gushing about the perfect dress she'd just bought and Flora stared examining her nails and playing with her color of polish. It seemed as though this was a big deal, something to get worked up about.

So then why didn't Bloom feel excited?

* * *

Later that afternoon, the five suitemates gathered in the common space to get ready for the dance.

"A party is only as good as what you wear to it, and this will be an excellent party!" Stella exclaimed, twirling out of her room with an orange-colored ballgown in tow. "Behold!"

She went on and on about how nice it was and how expensive it was and how it was designer couture. Bloom could not have cared less. In her honest opinion, it looked the same as every other dress Stella had worn; the one she'd found her in in the park looked better than this contraption winding its way across her bust. But Bloom smiled and oohed and ahhed over the overpriced piece of fabric.

Maybe she was just being moody because everyone else had a dress to wear and she didn't. It wasn't like she packed for a party. That wasn't the first thing on her mind when it came to survival necessities. It wasn't like she could show up to the dance dressed in her jeans and teeshirt either. The only other option was to not go at all, and if she wasn't going, she really didn't want to sit back and watch the others have fun without her.

Flora noticed her pouting and gave her a curious look to which Bloom tried her best to ignore to no avail.

"Bloom, why haven't you gotten dressed yet?" Flora asked, grabbing the attention of the group as well.

"I don't have a dress," Bloom admitted, trying not to be bothered by it. "It's okay. I'm not really in the party mood anyway."

"Everyone is in a party mood," Stella retorted, hands on her hips as she pursed her lips.

"It's not like I can show up looking like this," Bloom countered, gesturing to her usual get up.

"Puh-lease! No friend of mine is going to feel apparel-shame," Stella scoffed, taking on her dramatic flair. "There's a simple solution to any fashion dilemma: shopping!"

Bloom sighed. It looked like there was no getting out of this one, not now that Stella was on the case. That girl was so addicted to shopping it wasn't funny. Any chance to go and she clamored at it. They would have to go or they would never hear the end of it.

One hour and a bus ride later, the five girls were in the heart of Magix, on the prowl for a dress. Stella had taken them to the trendier strip near business part of the city. Bloom could tell by the shiny metallic facades and pristine interiors that these stores were going to be expensive, and her little bit of hope for finding a dress died. There was no way she could afford anything in any of these stores, but Stella insisted.

Everything Bloom tried on either fit too tight across her bust and ass or didn't flatter her waist. Even the designer dresses were off, nothing hitting her curves the way it should. There was one very unique blue dress with cut outs that laid nicely, but Bloom wasn't too attached to it, especially not for the outrageous price. Stella tried to pay for it, but Flora pointedly reminded her that she had maxed out her credit card buying her own expensive dress. Flora seemed sad to see the dress go though; the entire time Bloom had it on, she could feel Flora's eyes fixed on her body, dragging up and down her length too many times to count. Another reason to take it off as fast as possible.

They soon gave up on their fifth store, and by the time they hit the street, Bloom could tell the other girls were getting annoyed.

"You guys go head back. I'll keep looking," Bloom told them, knowing she'd be better off shopping alone without four people breathing down her neck, all with differing opinions on what looked best on her.

Unsurprisingly, the girls didn't put up a fight and took the bus back to campus, leaving Bloom free to head further south in Magix to the more affordable stores. Thankfully, she passed one with a sale sign in the window. After much digging, and annoying the customer service lady, Bloom found something acceptable: a plain blue sheath dress marked at 80% off. The sleeves were a sheer nude, as was the stomach panel, and the entire thing was far too long and a little baggy, but those weren't huge problems. Bloom was used to altering clothes to fit her unique needs. All she would need was a pair of scissors and some thread and she could make riches out of these rags.

The only problem when she got back was actually finding the scissors.

Bloom was going to be late - the dance was starting in minutes and she had yet to even brush the tangles out of her hair - but she at least wanted to make it through some of the dance. After all this trouble to get a dress, she was going to make an appearance damn it. If only she could find the scissors she needed!

"What's the point of knowing magic if you can't use it for the simplest things!" Bloom shouted in frustration to herself. It was like the hair color transformation all over again. She was struggling with the simplest of concepts and it made her upset.

Fine. If she couldn't summon the scissors, she'd go and find some. She remembered that Wizgiz had placed a pair in his desk after cutting two girls' hair apart when their own color transformations got out of hand.

What she wasn't expecting on the way was to find three intruders sneaking into Alfea. Quickly, Bloom ducked behind a pillar, watching the three girls as they made their way into the school. One of them had a map in their hands, the other a flashlight. They were searching for something, the question was what.

"Go straight ahead and make a right," one of them instructed, the three moving together in perfect synch. They all stopped in front of one of the closet doors, using magic to break inside.

"Here they are - the Red Fountain gifts," the one with the long white hair said, smug pride lacing her her voice.

"This school is so cheesy. I don't know why the boys wanna hang out with these losers," the one with the long dark hair quipped snidely, staring at the trunk in contempt.

"It's not like we'd want to hang out with those nerds anyway. We have better things to do," the white haired witch scoffed, rolling her eyes as if she couldn't believe her friend even considered the boys interesting. "Alright Darcy locate the ring."

The dark haired girl did as the other girl commanded. Her eyes started to glow a vibrant purple and magic filled the air, creating pictures.

 _When this spell is cast, show us the past!_

The murky air cleared to show images of Stella placing her ring in her jewelry box hours ago. Bloom sucked in a breath. They were after the same thing the ogre was back in Gardenia Park! That meant...that meant that these were the witches who sent that creature. The witches who hurt her parents and got her stuck here in the first place.

Bloom's vision blurred red at the edges, her rage dialing up as she indulged the savage ideas of ripping the three witches limb from limb. But she had to contain herself, had to figure out what else they were up to so more people wouldn't get hurt.

"This will be like taking candy from a fairy," the white haired girl said, evil glee written across her icy features. "Your turn Stormy. Show us the gifts."

The silent girl with the poofy grey hair stepped up to do her part, waving her hands in the air so that the chest flew open with a dull thud. The dark haired girl reached in and pulled out one of the gifts, sniffing in distaste.

"Ooo, enchanted little eggs," she cooed, sarcasm lacing her voice as the golden egg erupted into butterflies in her hands.

"They'll be the most memorable gifts these losers ever receive," the white haired witch simpered, raising her pointer finger in the air. The other two followed suit, the air crackling with magical potential.

 _Turn the enchanted into the cursed!_

 _Give them a bite that'll make them puke first!_

 _The eggs will hatch and snakerats appear!_

 _And panic, nausea, and terrible fear!_

It sounded like a horrible, vile thing to curse someone with, and Bloom couldn't help but to feel bad for all the girls at the dance. They didn't know what was coming for them if something wasn't done to stop these witches.

"When we're done with them, those precious princesses won't know what bit them," the white haired witch cackled, the other two joining her in their maniacal laughter. The thought of ripping them all limb from limb returned, though this time Bloom was more inclined to give into it.

They vanished, their bodies simply disappearing from sight, leaving Bloom alone hiding behind a pillar. Bloom didn't know how to follow them; she didn't even know how to reverse what had been done to the gifts. She had no magical ability to stop them. The only thing she could do was tell someone before it was too late and the entire school was brought to its knees by sudden illness and put at the mercy of ruthless witches.

Bloom ran to the auditorium, now decked out for the formal. There were streamers and balloons everywhere. The chandeliers were sparkling and the DJ on stage was playing what Bloom could only assume were Magix greatest hits. Between the guys and the girls, the place was absolutely packed. Bloom had no idea how to maneuver fast enough to find her friends in such a crowded place. It was hard enough just to get by without elbowing someone or knocking over their punch.

And just when she thought she couldn't be inconvenienced enough, she ran smack into the one person she didn't want to see.

"Hey I was looking for you!" Brandon said happily as he recognized who'd ran into him, combing his hand through his shoulder length blonde hair. He looked just as Bloom had last seen him on the ship, same brilliant smile and everything.

"You...were...?"

He smiled awkwardly and nodded. Bloom bit her lip and looked away, knowing where this conversation was headed next: exactly where she didn't want it to go.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, his eyes far too eager.

Damn it all. Bloom had hoped she was wrong about this one, but it didn't seem like she would be able to shake him. She could tell by the way he looked at her that he was interested. She was used to getting that look. It wasn't that he was a bad guy or wasn't handsome or anything...it was just that she wasn't interested in being exclusive with anyone, not so soon after Andy. At least she didn't think she was interested. This was such a confusing time in her life, and she didn't need Brandon coming in and messing it all up. Especially when there were more important things going on at the moment than socializing.

"Yeah...sure...later?" she trailed off, slowing backing away before slipping back into the crowd to find her friends. She knew she was being rude and that Sky was no doubt confused as hell, but he was the least of her concerns.

She found her friends conversing in the corner of the room. It didn't take long to explain the situation or convince them to help stop the witches. They had just as much reason to save the dance as Bloom did, Stella especially since she was about to be robbed. It was Stella who suggested something called convergence - a combining of individual powers to create more powerful spells - and since they were going up against experienced witches, they had nothing to lose in trying.

The girls linked hands, magic vibrating through and around them. Bloom had never felt such a pure energy or connection. Linked with the others, she felt like her powers had been amplified, like she could do anything. The words came to them easily, the counter curse practically forming itself.

 _Let the dark magic be reversed!_

 _Make the eggs like they were before they were cursed!_

A wave of pure magic washed over the room, settling on the chest of golden eggs. Prince Sky looked down, befuddled as he saw the magic do its work. That didn't stop him from handing them out though, and the girls all held their breath before the egg opened to reveal the expected butterflies. There were no snakerats in sight, and the Alfea girls were all very happy. All in all, it was a win! They had saved the dance and no one even knew it.

"This one is for you, Princess Stella," Prince Sky said as he handed one of the golden eggs to the sun fairy. She blushed a bright pink and accepted the egg, looking hopelessly giddy it opened to reveal the butterflies. Bloom fought the urge to roll her eyes or gag. Or both.

Everyone seemed to settle down, the party continuing as before. There was little to celebrate though. All this time the were focused on the gifts, they had forgotten about the ring.

Bloom ran back down the hall and, lo and behold, Stella's jewelry box was floating in mid air and traveling right out the front door. She chased the enchanted box, hoping to catch it before it got to the witches. She was nearly to the edge of the forest before she got ahold of the box, the spell breaking on contact. The weight of the box was surprising, pulling Bloom down. She didn't mind though. The ring was safe. All was well. Now she could go back and _finally_ get ready for the dance. Maybe if she hurried she could get a whole hour of dancing in before -

"Come back here! We've had it with you!" the white haired witch shrieked, coming out from the shadows and outstretching her hand to attack.

"Ice Bracelet!"

Bloom didn't even have time to react. A ring of ice erupted out of nowhere, forcing her into battle. The ice circled around her, entrapping her in a ring with no way out. It wasn't like she could climb over it either, the temperature so cold it burned to the touch. There was no way to escape, no running back to school.

The witches encroached on her space. The attacks came one after another with no reprieve.

"Heel of Oblivion!" the dark haired witch shouted, the ground at her feet breaking open into a gaping chasm, causing Bloom to lose her footing. She scrambled from the edge, desperately trying not to fall in.

"Twister!" the grey haired witch cried, summoning a full blown tornado to sweep Bloom off her feet, tossing her across the field until she skittered off the edge of the chasm, hanging onto the edge by one hand.

Her heart was beating out of her chest, fear overwhelming all her senses. The chances of her making it out of this fight alive were dwindling. The bottom of the chasm was nowhere in sight and she would definitely die on impact from this high up.

"Bloom!" she heard Musa cry from afar. Twisting her head, she could see the girls - still in their dresses - running across the field to rescue her. Unfortunately, they were held back by the ice witch's magic, a terrifying maze of icicles holding them at bay.

"You pathetic little girl. How did you even get into this school if you don't have any Winx at all?" the ice witch taunted, sneering down at Bloom.

"You're wrong! I do have Winx!" Bloom shouted, enraged at being so thoroughly defeated. It was embarrassing. She had to fight back with something! She had to have a place here for something!

"No, I don't think so," the ice witch retorted haughtily, raising the stiletto heel of her boot to crush Bloom's supporting fingers.

"I'll show you!" Bloom roared.

The boot made contact with her fingers. Searing pain ran through her joints as they were crushed under the full weight of the vengeful ice witch. She could hear bones snapping, popping. Feel her blood rushing over broken tissue. Hear her friends screaming her name in panic.

She let go of the ledge.

Then she truly let go.

The fire she felt back in Gardenia returned, but it returned ten fold. No one had told her that transformations hurt, that it felt like another person was ripping their way out of your skin to take control. She felt the fire course through her veins and screamed, the pain far more acute than the ice witch's boot could ever dream to be. But when the pain faded, Bloom was stronger for it, only the lingering sting of power running down her body. Her vision wasn't just tinged red around the edges, it _was_ red.

And all she saw was the abject horror on the three witches' faces as she flew up out of the chasm to face them, hovering just above the ground.

"Wow, someone's got a dark streak in them," the grey haired witch quipped, crossing her hands over her chest.

"Are you sure you aren't on the wrong side little fairy?" the dark haired witch asked once the shock wore off, amusement in her voice as she took in Bloom's new form.

"Hand back Stella's ring or face my wrath!" Bloom roared, the coarseness of her own voice shocking her. She could feel her hands clenched in painful fists, but when she looked down to uncurl them, she noticed that her nails were sharpened to fine points that had created small cuts in her palm.

"Get a load of that 'tude," the grey haired witch snarked, looking at the other two. "A new set of wings and she thinks she's all that."

"Too bad an outfit can't do your fighting for you," the ice witch quipped, her smirk containing hints of annoyance. "Darcy! Preceptus Disorientus!"

The dark haired witch smiled evilly before her eyes went purple again, this time waves of magic radiating from them straight towards Bloom. The waves messed with her mind, causing her to fall from the air and stumble the ground, her brain pounding in her head. It was like she had lost all sense of depth perception, everything moving and shifting. A slight shift of her gaze and it was like the world was flipping upside down.

There had to be a way out of this...there had to be! But the pain was only getting worse, and she kneeled over and grabbed her temples, screwing her eyes shut to block the dark magic out.

 _My first real magic fight, and I'm going to be ended by a headache. How fitting,_ Bloom thought mirthlessly.

Suddenly, the pain stopped, and aggravated shouting filled the air. Bloom chanced a glance up to see that Headmistress Faragonda had joined the fight, backed by Miss Griselda. Together, they fired shot after shot towards the three witches, causing them to retreat. They vanished in a flash of magic, leaving nothing but a frozen chunk of forest in their wake. During the attack, they dropped Stella's compact and the Solarian princess scrambled up behind the Headmistress to scoop it up and assure it was back in safe hands.

Once Bloom was sure the fight was over, she stood back up on shaky legs. The fight had grown a bit of a crowd, everyone whispering and gossiping about it already. However, the Headmistress looked very put out. In fact, she seemed downright aggravated.

"Everyone please return to the dance," Headmistress Faragonda instructed, clapping her hands in time as the girls and guys all shuffled back into the school. Then, she shifted her critical gaze to Bloom. "You five. My office. Now."

* * *

When the girls got to Headmistress Faragonda's office, they were fully prepared to get a lecture.

Bloom was ready to get laid into about how reckless it was to challenge three witches to a fight in the dark near the woods alone. It was stupid, and looking back, she really should have just let the witches take the ring and then made a plan to get it back. But what's done was done and there was no going back. There was only acceptance and the Headmistress' herbal tea to get her through this meeting.

She had yet to transform back to her normal form, but that was mostly because she wasn't quite sure how. It was by pure adrenaline and luck that she got her fairy form to work. The logistics of getting it to go away escaped her, and no one seemed eager to get near enough to tell her. That was a strange phenomenon. Since the moment she transformed, it was like there was this bubble around her that people were afraid to breach. The other students were giving her side eye. Even her friends were staring when they thought she didn't notice. It was unnerving, and she pulled at the hem of her skirt.

All of them sat around the Headmistress' desk, waiting for her to start lecturing.

"You should consider yourselves lucky that you made it out of that fight alive," Headmistress Faragonda chided, sipping on her tea worryingly. "Those were Cloud Tower senior witches. Very skilled and very powerful."

"Piece of cake," Stella said cockily as if she hadn't been running for her life twenty minutes ago.

"This is serious," the old woman scolded, a frown pulling at her thin lips. "This was more than a prank on the dance. Whatever those witches wanted, they were willing to kill for it."

"They were after Stella's ring. This isn't the first time they've come for it," Bloom said, everyone listening with rapt attention. "The first time they tried, they sent the ogre and hunter troll that hurt my parents."

"I see," Headmistress Faragonda pondered, brow knit in thought. "And do you know why they covet the ring so much?"

"No clue," Stella shrugged, fiddling with the jewel on her finger. "It's not like sunshine looks good on any of them so it can't be a fashion statement."

"Well, until their motives are discovered, you girls are not to leave campus unsupervised, is that understood?" Headmistress Faragonda asked, though it was clear she was giving an order than asking for permission to hold them captive there. "I'll be having a long conversation with Headmistress Griffin in the morning."

"Understood, Headmistress," Tecna replied obediently for the group, the only one willing to keep their own emotions out of a clearly unfair mandate.

"Good," the older woman said with finality. "Now, it's time to wrap up the dance and bid the Red Fountain boys farewell."

Everyone got up and migrated towards the door, ready to get the night over with. However, one thing was still gnawing at the back of Bloom's brain. Something one of the witches said.

"Wait, what did they mean when they said I had a dark streak?" Bloom asked, the rough quality to her voice still present.

"Ummm...Bloom, have you seen yourself since you transformed?" Musa asked cautiously, eyeing her up and down but not in the way Bloom was used to people eyeing her. No, this was skeptical - a look you might give something dangerous.

"No. If you didn't notice, I was too busy fighting witches," Bloom attempted to joke, but no one was laughing. In fact, everyone was deathly silent.

Headmistress Faragonda got up, stood by the mirror, and beckoned Bloom over. Judging by everyone's reaction, Bloom was nervous to see what monster she had turned into. What, had she grown a second head or something? It couldn't possibly be that bad...

Except the girl in the mirror didn't just look bad. She looked _evil._

Yellow eyes hooded with dark makeup traversed a body clothed in darkness. The girl in the mirror wore a crop top and skirt in a matching shade of navy black, ankle boots with pointed heels matching elbow length glovelettes. Bloom could count each and every rib on her exposed torso, and her cheekbones were sharp enough to cut glass. She had already noticed her nails while fighting, but her teeth contained the same points, as well as the jagged silver tiara on top of her wild red hair. And she had wings - quite possibly the only thing about this look that marked her as a fairy - but even they were pointed and uneven around the edges. She looked deranged. Like she belonged with the witches.

 _There was no way this is me_ , Bloom thought to herself as she placed a hand to the glass, watching her reflection mimic the move in perfect time. _No way._

"What the hell am I?"


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Okay loves, things are starting to go off-canon now! I hope you all enjoy the next installment of Sweet Seduction! Make sure to send me your love on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 7

If anyone had asked Bloom a week ago what her weekend plans were, she would have said something along the lines of 'curled up on the couch watching old movies with my mom'. Never in her wildest dreams would she have seen herself playing janitor with her suitemates while the rest of the Alfea College for Fairies went on trips around a place called the Magical Dimension.

She wasn't really a janitor, that was just the additional punishment Headmistress Faragonda decided to tack onto the original one - the one she and the rest of the girls got for breaking at least a dozen rules the night of the Back to School dance. They all thought the fact that they were being reprimanded for saving the school was ridiculous, but no one dared speak out against the Headmistress when she siphoned off their powers and confined them to the campus grounds for the weekend. It was supposed to keep them off the witches' radar, but all it really felt like was that they were sitting ducks.

However, for Bloom, it came somewhat as a reprieve. If she didn't have her powers, she didn't have to think about what they meant or why they were so dark. None of the other girls brought it up, that little detail conveniently forgotten. They had seen her face first hand after she'd stepped away from the mirror, all of the confusion and the anguish. Her powers were supposed to explain all her problems, not add more questions and doubts to the pile. Perhaps in their silence they were just being kind.

"Damn, house arrest sucks," Musa complained as she shoved her mop into the bucket of soapy water. "I haven't worked out this hard since my tour ended six months ago."

"We should consider ourselves lucky that our punishment was not more severe," Tecna countered, moving her own mop listlessly around the floor. "We performed an unsupervised convergence and antagonized three hostile witches. Usually such acts result in suspension for the rest of the semester."

"I don't know Tec, this is a pretty cruel and unusual punishment," Stella disagreed, her nose crinkling in disgust as dirty mop water droplets splashed across her open toed wedges.

"Maybe for the few of us that are used to having our asses wiped with gold plated toilet paper and have never had to do manual labor before," Musa jabbed, earning snickers from the other girls and a glare from Stella.

"If I had my powers right now, I would so curse you!" Stella whined.

"Yeah, well tough luck princess. We're grounded until the Headmistress says otherwise so we better start liking each other."

"Maybe not too much..." Bloom teased as she cast a glance between Musa and Tecna.

"Ha ha very funny," Musa replied, though the slight smile pulling at her lips contraindicated her annoyed tone.

They all went back to scrubbing the floors in companionable silence. At some point, Musa had put on some tunes, but her taste was a far cry from what Bloom usually liked, so she just chose to drown it out. None of them knew how long it would take them to finish this one hall, nonetheless the cafeteria and all the connecting halls. Wasn't this what magic was for - to complete menial labor tasks like this without having to lift a finger? Was the Headmistress purposely just being cruel? The answer was probably yes, but the girls just put their nose back to the grind, not wanting to further the old woman.

"You've been unusually quiet Flora," Musa commented. "Everything okay?"

She was right. Flora hadn't said a word since they'd started their chores and had barely even cracked a smile at the jabs just made at Stella. Bloom was slightly worried she was still fucked up from the other night, but the other girl hadn't said anything about it so Bloom was content to live in denial.

"Oh, everything is fine," Flora assured, her voice just as calm and sweet as usual. "I've just been thinking about how to get this job done faster."

"Care to share with the group?"

Flora nodded and handed her mop over to Musa. She then placed two fingers into her mouth and whistled. A few seconds passed and a barrage of plants came _walking_ down the stairs...like real people. All of Flora's experiments surrounded them, and all the nature fairy had to do was take the mop back and hand it to the closest plant for them all to take the hint. Soon, the small botanical armada was hard at work scrubbing the floors.

"Flo that was awesome!" Bloom exclaimed, still unable to believe her eyes. She didn't see things like that in Gardenia, and her mother owned a flower shop for crying out loud!

"Thanks!" Flora beamed, absorbing the praise and blushing. "I wasn't sure if the spell had worn off yet or not, but I think it should hold for at least the next few hours."

"Well, I say we order pizza and celebrate getting off early," Musa suggested much to everyone's delight.

"So long as we get a low-carb one for me," Stella insisted, and Musa rolled her eyes.

The girls all headed towards the staircase, careful to give way to the plants who were quick to clean up their footsteps. Bloom, however, still held onto her mop, uneasy with just letting things go. She looked down into the shadowed halls, looking for any traces of movement.

"Yo Bloom, you coming with us?" Musa called, already half way up the staircase.

"Yeah, just give me a second. I'm going to make sure no one's around so we don't get caught."

"You're the best," Stella singsonged. "We'll save you a slice."

Bloom smiled and waved to her friends, watching them disappear into the upstairs, leaving her alone with the plants. She passed her mop over to one of the green workers and stepped lightly into the adjacent hall. The school was supposed to be empty of most staff and students; no one was expected back for hours. Still, she had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. She'd had it for a while now, and if she could only locate where it was coming from...

"Oh look, if it isn't the little Earth girl."

Bloom spun around, her heart rate kicking up when she recognized the ice witch and her two followers. They were standing under an archway, watching her amusedly.

"What are you three doing here?" Bloom demanded, body itching for a fight. She wasn't able to transform, but she would defend herself and her friends either way.

"To get the ring. Now if you'll excuse us, we're on a very tight schedule," the brown-haired witch said curtly, purple magic flying from her palm that sent Bloom falling to the ground.

Bloom scrambled up, ready to fight, but then she remembered that her magic was currently being held by the Headmistress who was somewhere unknown. Bloom had no means to defend herself but tried her best to put up a tough front, both fists in front of her face as if prepping for a physical brawl. She'd never been in one of those either, though there was a first time for everything she supposed.

"Sister, I don't think she can transform," the poofy haired witch said conspiratorially. Bloom didn't like the way their eyes narrowed in dark delight.

"Well, isn't that convenient," the ice witch simpered, her smile crooked as she extended her hand. "Ice prison!"

A flurry of snow came towards Bloom at lightning speed. Then her whole world turned cold and dark.

* * *

"Bloom!"

The voice echoed through her ears, the first thing she could hear as she regained consciousness. Somehow she had gotten out of the ice and ended up on the floor, lying face up so all she could see was the ceiling and a cluster of concerned faces.

"Th-the witches..." Bloom chattered, her entire body shaking from the cold.

"Are gone," Flora replied solemnly, helping Headmistress Faragonda pull Bloom to a sitting position and wrap a blanket around her shoulders.

"They took my ring!" Stella complained.

"It appears as though I had made a mistake in underestimating their gaul," the Headmistress lamented, a frown pursed on her thin lips.

"We h-have t-to get it back..." Bloom said, trying her best to get up but her muscles complaining sharply in reply. It hurt to much to use them, to strain them, so she fell down on her ass.

"Take it easy girl," Musa insisted.

"You were trapped inside the ice for precisely one point six seven hours. By my calculations you will not be capable of full mobile function for at least another forty-eight hours given you receive proper medical care," Tecna rattled off, though through her monotonous drone there was something akin to sympathy.

"Precautions have already been taken and Headmistress Griffin has been made aware of her students' actions," the Headmistress assured. "The situation will be resolved in the morning. For the time being, you girls get some rest. You have class tomorrow after all."

"Does that mean we can get our powers back?" Flora asked meekly, her head ducked to avoid any rebuke sent her way. However, before the Headmistress could open her mouth, Musa was there to defend her friend.

"Flo's right," the music fairy agreed, arms crossed over her chest defiantly as she stared Headmistress Faragonda down. "We've more than earned them. Besides, it's not like taking them away did us any good. The witches were still able to steal the ring."

"Very well," Headmistress Faragonda conceded, clearly irked that she had been proven wrong by one of her own students.

The older woman waved her hand and five globes of pure golden light appeared, one going over and hovering above each girl and pulling them off the ground like a tractor beam. Bloom could feel the energy radiating from them, the warm sensation of power flowing through her veins. She couldn't admire them for long before the golden balls were absorbed by their rightful owners, all five girls landing back on the floor as if nothing had happened. Musa flexed her fingers, Tecna shook out her head, and Stella was seconds away from jumping for joy. This was the first time none of them would stop her if she did.

"Do not take this as a kindness," the Headmistress said sharply, eyes narrowed in on the group of celebratory girls. "Be warned, if you break the rules again, your punishment will be more severe."

"We understand, Headmistress," Tecna replied humbly.

With one last warning look, Headmistress Faragonda took off down the hall, no doubt to sort out the paperwork from this mess. That left Ophelia, the school nurse, to deal with the aftermath. She cleared the space around Bloom and did a few simple physical tests. While they hurt, Bloom could touch her toes and lift her arms above her head. Once frostbite was ruled out, Bloom was given the okay and the girls were instructed to take her back to their room. Bloom couldn't wait to get a good night's sleep; all the cold made her want to do was curl up in blankets and never wake up.

Back in their suite, Bloom flopped down on the couch while the other girls took the surrounding furniture. There were pizza boxes on the table, not even opened and left to cool. No one touched them, food seemingly forgotten - or more likely, unappetizing seeing as though it preluded an attack. Everyone seemed tense.

"What's gotten Faragonda's panties in a twist?" Stella asked, glaring at the door as if the woman was going to walk in. "I swear she was not this bitchy last year."

"Whatever, we have our magic again. It's all good," Musa waved off the odd behavior.

" _All good_? My ring is still in the clutches of those witches who are doing who knows what with it!" Stella whined, looking forlornly at the empty space on her right hand where her ring used to reside.

Like it or not, Stella was right for a change. Whatever the witches wanted with the ring was not good. Besides, Bloom had not suffered through as much as she had to roll over now. If she let the witches win, it was like accepting that her parents were attacked for nothing. She would have failed them, and that was an idea she could not stomach.

"Not for long," Bloom said decisively, getting everyone's attention. "We're going to get it back."

"How?" Flora asked, both curious and concerned. "You heard the Headmistress: if we break the rules again, we will be punished even worse than last time."

"Who cares about the punishment - this is about doing what's right. We can't let these witches walk all over us like we're nothing," Bloom countered, getting heated.

"So tell us what to do," Musa said, everyone else looking intently at Bloom, waiting for her instructions. In fact, they were all looking at her like that, as if she were their brave and fearless leader and they were her soldiers, ready to jump into the line of fire. All the needed was the word.

"It's simple. We break into Cloud Tower."


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the bit of the wait loves! Hope this chapter makes up for it! Make sure to give me your love and thoughts on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 8

Cloud Tower: a tall, dark spire rising into the storm clouds above like a threatening monolith. Cloud Tower with only one way in or out - the main bridge that crossed a chasm so deep no one could see the bottom. Cloud tower surrounded by weather was so fickle and so unwelcoming, most turned back before they reached the front doors. Cloud Tower, the place where the most ruthless and powerful of witches went to study.

For such a formidable fortress, Bloom thought it would have better security.

It was surprisingly easy for them to use their fairy forms and simply fly in one of the top windows. They didn't even have to use the front doors, bypassing any kind of formal security measures, which was good seeing as though they were trespassing with the intent to rob. Well, more like take something back that was robbed from Stella. The morality of it all evened out in the end. Of course, Faragonda didn't know they were there; it was better that way. She would never have agreed to this, and that was something Bloom could not accept.

The girls crept through the dark, dank hallways slowly, using one of the torches that lined the stone walls as a guide. This place was a maze. How did the witches even know where they were going? Did they run into one another, blind as bats in these corridors? Or was it lighter in the daytime? Somehow, Bloom didn't care to find out. She wanted to get the ring and get the hell out before things got any more creepy. But it wasn't the school itself that was creeping her out; it was how her body was responding to the cold and the dark, as if she were comfortable in this kind of atmosphere. The thought was disturbing, so she shook it off, content to keep searching down each new doorway for some kind of signal that they were headed in the right direction.

"Are we there yet?" Stella whined, only to be immediately shushed by Musa.

These walls echoed, and badly. No doubt if Stella had spoken any louder, they would have been discovered.

Thankfully, a few more feet down and they approached an opening to what looked like a common room. It was a wide open space with a roaring fire on the back wall surrounded by dark velvet furniture and shelves of old, worn out books. All that were missing were the coffins and they would have a full-out gothic horror theme going on, Bloom thought.

"I think this is it," Bloom said, though there was nothing that let her know for sure. "Stella, put out your locator charm."

The blonde girl nodded and let out a soft blast of magic. The golden mist started to congeal and then move, the girls following it through a series of rooms before it passed through a locked door. Tecna took over and took down the barrier, and when the door opened, the golden mist was waiting for them.

They were definitely in the right place, Bloom thought. The room had three beds in it, one in each of the colors of the witches who had stole the ring. The space itself was bare and dark like the rest of the rooms, full only of texts, supplies, and a large black cauldron in the center. Truly, the witches were as gloomy in their personal lives as they were on the battlefield. At least they were true to their characters.

The girls broke up and scoured every part of the room. However, it was Bloom who came across the ring tucked away in a jewelry box in one of the witches' vanity drawers.

"I got it!" Bloom announced, drawing the rest of the girls in.

"Come to Mama!" Stella cried, extending her finger for Bloom to slip the familiar jewel into place. Once it was back where it belonged, she kissed the ring and spun in a circle. Truly, she was something else.

Bloom went to shut the jewelry box and put it away. However, as she tucked the box back into the corner, an open book on the desk caught her attention. She was still new to the realm of spells and incantations, but on first looks, this stuff did not seem good. There were long strings of harsh looking symbols followed by pictures of terrible, malformed creatures. They were the color of blood with fangs and claws and features that would send anyone running. And the numbers they were part of, just in the picture, seemed unimaginable. Just what were these witches planning?

"Guys, look at this," Bloom said, and she passed around the book.

"What is it?" Flora asked, fear lacing her words as she ran a hand over the page.

"The Army of Decay," Tecna read off the page, her fingers already flying over her portable computer as she looked up as much information as she could get her hands on.

"Whatever it is looks disgusting," Stella wrinkled her nose and frowned.

"My records are not showing any information on this so called army," Tecna replied, puzzled. "Perhaps we should take this to the Headmistress and have her take a look at it. She is quite knowledgable."

The girls looked at each other and shrugged. It was their best bet. Musa laid the book down and ripped out the page about the Army of Decay, tucking it into her skirt for safekeeping.

"We should leave before someone notices we're here," Musa said, looking around the space suspiciously.

Bloom nodded in agreement. This had been too easy. They hadn't come across as single witch their entire time at the school, and their luck was bound to change sooner rather than later.

The girls put everything back where they found it - minus the ring of course - and left the way they came. This time, however, as they reached the window they came in from, a huge group of witches was walking their way. They were all talking and laughing, clearly distracted enough not to notice the five fairies invading their home. The girls ran in the opposite direction, only to almost run into another group of witches.

"What is going on?" Flora asked nervously.

"They must've had a meeting or a meal or something and are coming back for the night," Bloom guessed, the most rational thing she could think of as to why the whole school's worth of witches chose this moment to show up.

"Come on! There's some stairs back here," Musa called from a few feet over, waving everyone her way. "Hurry! We can find another way out."

The girls nodded, barely missing the meeting of the two groups of witches as they scrambled down the stairs. They went a few flights down before jumping out into the next hall, thankfully finding it empty. There, they continued their journey, this one leading them straight into the library. The library was a huge, sprawling catacomb with rows upon rows of impossibly tall shelves of books. Who knew witches read so much? The girls maneuvered their way around the rows, careful not to bump anything on their way. Bloom passed rows and rows of potions in a myriad of colors and artifacts all encased in glass boxes as if too dangerous to touch. It was all so strange and interesting. She wanted to know more, she wanted to explore this part of magic though she knew that that wasn't acceptable for a fairy.

Bloom strayed from the path of the other girls - not like they had much of a path in the first place - curiosity taking over. She roamed over books with symbols she had never seen: a series of four eye-shaped stones converged as one, a fancy cursive V with two circles behind it, a ring with four thorns, and so many more. The power of the tomes sung to her, calling out to her power. Why couldn't the other girls hear this?

One book sung out to her more than the others: a large volume perched on a pedestal. It was closed, the words on the cover too far away for Bloom to decipher. As she got closer, she realized that it was not words on the cover, but letters. Five letters that spelled out her name.

Bloom.

Her heart rate picked up, pulse hammering under her skin.

Why did a book in Cloud Tower, the school for witches, have a book on her, a fairy? Was there a book for everyone in this vast collection? Why was her book out in the open for anyone to see? Was someone doing research on her? Was there something she was meant to see about herself? Could this book hold the answers to who she really was, and why strange things always seemed to happen around her? Could it explain the strange behaviors, the red in her vision, the claws and the darkness of her transformation? All of these possibilities were overwhelming, drawing her to the book.

It wasn't until she was at the pedestal, hand reaching to open the cover, that she realized that this was too coincidental. That this might be a trap.

Of course by then it was too late. She had pulled open the book to the first page, dust motes filling the air and igniting it into flame.

Bloom screamed.

"Bloom! What did you do?" Musa shouted as the library shook, fire sweeping the area at a frightening speed.

"I didn't mean to!" Bloom insisted, but it was too late for apologies. They had to focus on surviving now.

The fire was consuming everything in its wake, but not burning it. Magical fire then, Bloom surmised. It would not harm Cloud Tower, but the stinging, overwhelming heat was very real. It will hurt us, Bloom concluding, her lungs burning as she pushed herself to fly faster. It was impossible for her to go any quicker, but the flames were catching up, snapping at her feet, threatening to pull her in and cook her alive. Terror coursed through her veins. This was not the way she wanted to die. She had so much more left to do - her parents to save, her friends to make proud, a whole life to live that didn't end at the ripe young age of sixteen.

 _Bloom,_ came an ethereal feminine voice. Bloom spun around, desperate to find the source. Was it the book calling to her again?

 _Bloom, follow me_ , the voice continued, and suddenly there was a path cleared through the fire, the flames curling and spinning around to create a tunnel for the girls to fly safely through. At the end of that tunnel was a golden masked woman radiating power. Her arms beckoned Bloom towards her, puling her in.

"Do you guys see her?" Bloom asked, pointing to the end of the tunnel.

"See who?" Tecna asked, confused as she squinted through smoke and flame.

"Come on! Let's go," Musa cried as she led the way through the tunnel.

They barely made it, fire nipping at the heels of the girls as they pushed through to the end. The tunnel had led them to a window which they wasted no time jumping out. Just in time as well, the flames flooding through the rest of the corridor right where they were standing.

As Bloom flew away, she turned her head back to the school. All signs of fire were gone, as were all signs of the golden woman.

* * *

"The nerve you girls have is unacceptable!" Headmistress Faragonda shouted, her fist connecting with her desk. She was already half an hour into her lecture, and the girls were beginning to lose patience. They had been sitting in the Headmistress' office since the moment they stepped foot back onto campus, caught red handed by the ex-fairy godmother herself and practically dragged into her office by their ears. Now, even Miss Griselda was looking weary. There was only so much one could take. "I have half a mind to expel you all effective immediately!"

"Headmistress, perhaps you are being a bit too hard on the girls," Miss Griselda tried to intervene. When the head disciplinarian of the school said someone was being to harsh, then she was probably being too harsh.

However, the Headmistress simply narrowed her eyes and peered down a the girls shrewdly. "Give me one good reason why I should let you stay here at Alfea."

"We found this in the witches' room," Musa said, handing over the page from the book. "It was in a spell book left open by the ring."

"Our hypothesis was that they needed Stella's ring to enact some kind of ancient ritual to awaken something called the Army of Decay," Tecna explained.

For the first time in half an hour, Faragonda went quiet. In fact, her face paled, her lips thinned, and she had to sit down. She and Griselda poured over the page, exchanging worried glances. Whatever this was seemed even worse than they originally thought.

"You've heard of it, haven't you?" Bloom surmised, earning a tired glare from the Headmistress.

"Unfortunately," Faragonda replied slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is far worse than I had originally thought."

"It seems as though we have underestimated these witches' ambition," Miss Griselda mused darkly.

"Griffin must not be aware of what her students are up to. She would never allow such perversion of magic," the Headmistress thought out loud, folding her fingers under her chin.

"Anyone care to clue us in?" Stella asked, raising her hand as if this were class.

"In order to summon the Army of Decay one needs the power of the Dragon Flame, which they must have thought resided in your ring Miss Stella," the Headmistress explained, gesturing to the ring.

"That is impossible. The Dragon Flame was lost during the fall of the planet Sparks," Tecna spoke up, strong in her convictions. From the looks of the rest of the girls, it seemed as though they believed that as well.

"That is the belief of some, not of all," Faragonda said. "Clearly, the ring does not house The Flame, as there is no army ravaging the streets of Magix."

"Now what will they do?" Stella asked, wringing her ring around her finger worriedly. "Are they going to come back for the ring?"

"I doubt they would waste their time on something that does not work. More than likely they will go and seek out a new source, some other object of great power that could provide them with what they need."

"But what exactly is the Army of Decay?" Bloom asked, still confused.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with any longer," Faragonda replied stiffly, standing to dismiss the girls. "We have the pages of the rituals. Miss Stella is now in repossession of her ring. I will alert Headmistress Griffin to the activities of her students. All shall be sorted. Now, go back and get some rest. You must be exhausted, and you will need your energy for all the detention you will be serving over the next few weeks."

The girls all groaned but did as they were told, filing out of Headmistress Faragonda's office less than pleased or satisfied with the answers they had received. As they left, Bloom could hear the Headmistress and Griselda talking quietly amongst themselves in hushed tones. Bloom frowned, but kept on walking.

Whatever was going on, there was something the Headmistress wasn't telling them.

* * *

"THIS CANNOT BE HAPPENING!" the ice witch screamed, throwing her jewelry box against the wall, breaking the antiquated wood in to splinters. It was not the first victim of her rage, pillow torn to pieces and furniture lying in shambles at her feet. Of course, one wave of her hand and she could fix it all. It was therapeutic to break things. It helped express her rage.

"Icy, we need to think of a new plan," the witch in purple said carefully as not to incite her sister's rage.

"Those little fairies stole the pages," she seethed, fists clenched so tight that her sharp, pointed nails cut little half moons into her palms. "Without those incantations we are as lost as we were when we first started out on this quest."

"We will get them back," the poofy haired witch ensured her sister. "What are a few measly fairies compared to us?"

"THEY'VE ONLY MANAGED TO BE A THORN IN MY SIDE!" Icy roared, sending spears of ice her sister's way, causing the girl to duck for cover.

"There is something we can do! We can lure them here," the purple witch continued with the idea and ran, hoping something would sound pleasing to her sister. "The red head - she triggered the failsafe in the library when they were here. Something must have caught her eye. If we can find a way to bring her back to us..."

"...we can hex her and make her bring us what we want," Icy latched onto the plan, feeling more like her evil self.

"I've always wanted a fairy slave," the poofy haired witch cackled.

"Darcy, take us to the library," Icy instructed the purple witch, who got up from her reclined position to created a portal. "Time to see what our little friend was reading."

The three witches walked through through portal into the library. It looked untouched, the fire not harming a single thing. They backtracked the magic to the source of the fire: a single book upon a nondescript pedestal. Strangely enough, the book was from the restricted section, a place full of strange tomes and magic. The cover of the book had the red headed girl's name on the front in big golden letters. Icy and her sisters frowned. Most creatures in the Magical Dimension barely get a footnote in the scope of history, nonetheless a whole tome dedicated to them.

Just who was this girl?

Darcy snapped her fingers, breaking the fire charm for the time being. They would replace it when they were done, but right now, they were doing some extensive research. Icy reached forward and opened the book to the front page. Immediately they were pulled into her history, shown impossible, incredible things. Immediately, they knew exactly who this Bloom was and exactly how powerful she could be. More than that, they knew exactly how much use she could be to them.

"No, it can't be..." Icy trailed off as the history stopped, completely shocked but enthralled by the possibilities of what they had just uncovered.

"Right in front of our eyes..." the poofy haired witch continued, staring at her sisters disbelievingly

"...In our grasp this whole time..." Darcy picked up, running a hand through her hair.

"Sisters, do you realize what this means?" Icy asked, empowered. "It means that the end is in sight. We are so close to getting what we've always wanted."

"I can practically taste the power," the poofy haired witch said, mania creeping in.

"Calm yourself Stormy, there is still work to be done," Icy quieted her excitable sister. "We will have to make sure this information is accurate, of course. Find some way to confirm it for ourselves."

"The Day of the Rose is coming up soon. Feel like making a scene?" Darcy asked, a mischievous glint in her bespectacled eyes.

"I love the way you think," Icy praised and Darcy smirked with pride.

"Once we know for sure, we can expose her, turn her friends against her. We can send her running straight to us," Stormy jumped to the end, already high off of the thought of victory. It was hard for Icy and Darcy not to feel it as well. Everything seemed to be coming together better than they ever could have dreamed.

"We would still need the ritual," Icy said.

"Leave that to me," Darcy insisted, placing a hand on Icy's shoulder. "I have something special planned."

Icy nodded her consent and turned back to the book, running her hand appreciatively over the cover. It was as if something from above had delivered them this book in their time of need. Delivered them the perfect opportunity to take what was rightly theirs and rule over the Magical Dimension just as their ancestors had intended.

"Funny. I was thinking of hexing this book to show our little friend a terrible fate, but the truth..." Icy trailed off, devious laughter lacing her words. "...the truth is so much worse."


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: Long chapter - combines two loaded episodes! Lots happening! I hope you like it! Make sure to leave me your love and comments on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 9

The Day of the Rose celebration in Magix was apparently a pretty big deal.

Bloom was told there would be great food, races, and general festivities to take her mind off of the endless cascade of nightmares it had recently become. Of course, this was before she knew that The Day of the Rose was the Magical Dimension's version of Mother's Day and Father's Day put together, which swiftly proceeded to ruin any semblance of happiness she was starting to feel. Still, it was a festival, and since she and the rest of the girls had finished all of Faragonda's detention a few days ago, there was nothing better she had to do with her time. Flora and Tecna had already made plans to go to their home planets, but Musa and Stella were still around.

Musa seemed just as down as Bloom was about the day. It took her a bit, but at breakfast it she told Stella and Bloom about losing her mother and her father's absence in her life. She was just as alone as Bloom was, and Bloom felt closer to the girl because of it. It also appeared that Stella's life was not as perfect as she painted it. Her parents were divorcing, neither in the mood to celebrate the other, so Stella preferred to stay away from the mess. She felt distanced from her parents, like she didn't have any at all. Perhaps Bloom was too quick to judge the princess before. Perhaps they were all more similar than she thought. They were better off together than alone, a fact that took Musa some convincing as she originally wanted to spend it on her own.

A few hours later, walking along the streets of Magix, Bloom tried to get into the sprit. It was harder than expected due to all the happy couple and families out celebrating the holiday together, reminding her of what she was currently deprived of. A ship flew overhead and rained down hundreds upon hundreds of red roses, and Stella picked up three. Bloom tucked hers behind her ear, with some prodding from Stella, and went back to being gloomy. She knew she was being a buzz-kill but she couldn't help it. Stella would have to be perky enough for all of them. Thankfully, that was something she did easily.

"Oooooh there are the guys!" Stella squealed, flipping her hair and puckering her lips as the group of three Specialists approached. Bloom remembered that Stella had been texting them at breakfast, but she thought they wouldn't be meeting until later in the evening. If she had known this would be an all day affair, Bloom would have rethought going out. There was no leaving now.

"Hey ladies," Prince Sky greeted with a wave of his hand. "How is everyone?"

"Much better now that you're here," Stella cooed, latching herself onto his muscular arm like a leech.

Everyone naturally paired off. Stella jabbered on, talking Brandon's ear off while he smiled and laughed at her endless stream of commentary. Riven approached Musa tentatively, though both of them seemed too aloof to know what to say. That left Brandon, blond hair and fuckboy good looks and all to saunter up to Bloom. She tried not to cringe or will him to leave. He wasn't creepy or anything; he was just trying to be friendly. Maybe Bloom should stop being so hard on him.

"I heard you guys snuck into Cloud Tower and stole back Stella's ring. Pretty cool, though didn't you worry you were going to get hurt? Witches can be pretty brutal."

"We almost did," Bloom said. "I touched something I shouldn't have and it set off a failsafe. The whole library caught on fire. We barely got out in time."

Bloom left it at that. She didn't want to get into the golden woman just yet, not when she didn't know what it meant for herself. That, and she would have to explain everything that happened that night to Brandon, and that was a little too much for her to handle right now especially because she still wasn't sure if she was capable of opening up to anyone, especially someone who was clearly trying way too hard to get close to her.

"You're lucky you made it out in one piece. You could have called us for backup."

"We're stronger than we look," Bloom replied, somewhat defensive of the fact that he thought that she and the rest of the girls couldn't take care of themselves. They were just fine without the Specialists thank you very much.

"Didn't say you weren't," Brandon replied lightly, hands up in a surrendering motion.

The rest of the group moved on, but Bloom looked out into the crowd, standing in silence as she thought over things from that night. There were a lot of things she didn't understand, many things clouding her thoughts. Being in the Magical Dimension was confusing. Nothing was straightforward. Nothing was easy. She had just fought for her life in a hostile environment, and now she was out on the town as if nothing had happened. Her parents seemed so long ago, so far way, like a dream. Now her main priority, her main focus was on the book and her powers. Being there, with Brandon, in Magix, had distorted her priorities, and that was not a good feeling. Even worse was the feeling that answers were within her grasp, and she had just let them go.

Her wandering thoughts led her vision to a dancer in the distance. She was dark of skin and was twirling in the midst of bright red ribbons. She wore a mask that resembled one Bloom had only seen once before. The closer she looked at the woman, the more the red faded to gold and the ribbons turned into a flowing gown. The golden woman was dancing in the middle of the street, the red woman all but forgotten, and Bloom wondered if she were the only person to be seeing this as well.

 _Find me_ , a voice whispered in her ear, that same voice from Cloud Tower.

 _Find me._

Bloom shook her head and grounded herself back in reality. The golden woman was no longer there, the red woman spinning in her silks in time to the floating instruments as if nothing had happened. She had no idea how long she had spaced out, but it couldn't have been long. Brandon was still standing next to her, staring at the entertainers as she was. She really had to stop spacing out. Perhaps she just needed sleep. A lot of sleep.

"There was a book in the library in Cloud Tower, it had my name on it," Bloom found herself saying.

"That's weird," Brandon commented, looking confused as to why she had mentioned it.

"I want to go back and read it."

Brandon's eyebrows shot up, surprised that she would readily jump back into the line of fire. "Really? Why?"

 _That was a good question_ , Bloom thought to herself. Not even she had a clear, distinct idea as to why she would want to do something more reckless. It was a horrible idea, logistically impossible now that Cloud Tower knew they were trespassed upon, but one that burned in her core. Until her subconscious voiced those words a few moments ago, that was something she didn't even know she wanted. Still, the words managed to find their way to her lips, some half-formed feeling that she didn't even know she was harboring.

"I don't expect you to understand, but my whole life weird things have been happening to me. I'm like a magnet for weird shit, and I want to know why. If the universe is going to keep throwing things my way, I deserve a reason."

Another long silence spanned between them. Perhaps she had said too much. Perhaps she was too honest with a stranger she had barely even conversed with before. But Brandon's face didn't show disgust. Instead, it showed deep thought, like he were mulling over her rationale.

"Okay. I'll take you," he said finally, and then it was her turn to be shocked.

"Are you serious?" she asked, not really believing someone would do that for her. But then again, he was the guy who saved a stranger from an ogre and took her to safety. He was a hero at heart, and she was someone he could save.

"Yeah. If you think that's something you need to do, I'll help you."

Bloom smiled a half smile, the first time she felt hopeful all day. "Thank you. It means a lot."

"Don't mention it," Brandon shrugged it off, gesturing to the crowd growing behind them. "It's almost time for me to race. Want to watch?"

Thankful for a distraction, Bloom agreed and made her way to their group of friends with Brandon by her side. She knew that Riven would be racing on one of those levabikes, as well as Prince Sky and Brandon; it was a tradition, one they had participated in before and planned on doing again to represent the heroics of the students of Red Fountain. The whole sport looked dangerous, but they had assured the girls that the padding on their suits was state of the art and the bikes themselves were very safe. Still, the bikes whizzed by like lightning, the riders circling the course, dodging and weaving through strategically placed obstacles as they warmed up, everyone vying for the trophy standing on a podium at the finish line.

From this angle, Bloom could see Riven next to his bike, helmet under his arm as he waited his turn. She and Brandon adjusted their course and headed his way.

"'Bout time you love birds showed up," Riven commented snidely as Brandon and Bloom approached. He was already in his racing regalia, and Prince Sky was checking his bike over.

"Come on now, don't be jealous bro," Brandon said jokingly, throwing an arm around Bloom's shoulders. She had half a mind to shrug him off, to deny what Riven thought they were to one another, but she didn't have the heart. Now was not the time nor the setting for that battle. "I'm sure we can find you a cheerleader somewhere."

Out of the corner of her eye, Bloom could see Musa flush a deep red. It was no secret that she was into Riven. Everyone knew it, except for him apparently.

"I'm not jealous, _bro_. If I actually wanted one of those Alfea pixies, I could have my pick of the whole litter and you know it," Riven replied in a holier-than-thou tone. "In fact, a certain someone has been giving me the eye. Isn't that right Bloom?"

Riven's gaze travelled up and down her body, purposely being creepy before he cocked a brow as if asking what she could do about it. The flush immediately left Musa's face, and Bloom could tell that she was trying so hard not to look devastated. Riven had hurt Musa in such a low way. That was when Bloom lost it.

"The only 'eye' I would give you is a black one," she replied lowly, stepping close into his space so he knew just how serious she was. She hated when men thought they could get away with objectifying her like she was nothing. Riven was just another pig amongst a sea of creeps and predators. It was time he was put in his place.

"Yeah right," Riven scoffed, though there was the first tendrils of fear rooting themselves in his indigo irises.

"You are a conceited, cocky, boring waste of good oxygen," Bloom said, making sure each word was sharp like a knife into his over-inflated ego. Whoa, where was this even coming from? Bloom didn't know. All she knew was that she wasn't done yet. "Guys like you give guys a bad name. I still don't understand why Musa had a crush on you."

"You are really cute when you're angry, you know that?" Riven said playfully, pretending that the words didn't hurt him while placing two fingers on her chin to pull her closer. "I dig girls that play hard to get."

"Don't. You. Touch. Me," Bloom hissed, the red fringing at the edges of her vision.

Riven's smirk deepened, taking her words as a challenge and not the warning they were meant to be. If he wasn't going to listen, fine. So be it. He deserved the pain headed his way.

Before his lips could touch her own, Bloom took an elbow to the corner of Riven's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. It was a single, brutal move. She could hear the bone dislocate when she connected her skin with his. She wouldn't lie; her elbow stung like hell, but it was no comparison to how he must've been feeling. She wished she cared.

"Still think I'm cute when I'm angry?" Bloom asked, her lips curled up into a dark smirk.

"You're fucking crazy!" Riven shouted, scrambling up from the ground, holding the side of his bleeding face.

Everyone around them was shocked still, unable to process what had just happened. No one thought Bloom had that in her. Any of it. But there she was, cutting Riven down like a weed. She glared at him until he backed up and returned to his bike, away where he could not dig himself further into a hole.

"Come on Bloom, he was only messing with you," Brandon said, looking over towards Riven with sympathy.

"I didn't appreciate it," Bloom said curtly. She was in no mood to hear Riven's side. Maybe later when she was less mad and more level headed. "And don't make excuses for his behavior. We both know he was out of line."

"I know...but that was..." Brandon trailed off, not sure how to put things without offending her or catching a beat down of his own.

"A lesson he needed to learn the hard way," Bloom finished, the conversation closed. She bent down to pick up Brandon's helmet and thrust it towards him. "Here. You should get ready for the race. It's starting soon."

Brandon nodded without complaint, taking the helmet and leaving the girls to get changed. Musa, Stella, and Bloom all worked their way through the crowd to find good spots. They ended up curbside, giving them a great view of the track. It would be a fun time, if Bloom allowed herself that small pleasure. She was still worked up from Riven, though why she did not know. Her anger was simmering on a back burner, taking its sweet time in dying down.

Before long, the racers were lining up at the starting line. There were fewer competing than Bloom expected, but still a decent amount. All three Red Fountain boys had lined up at the edge of the row, revving their engines trying to sike each other out or just show off for the girls. Bloom felt much more like herself, allowing a smile and thumbs up to Brandon before the light turned green leaving everyone in their dust.

The race started off fine, but as it progressed, Bloom could tell something wasn't right. Everyone else was slowing down for some reason, while Riven was weaving and swerving sharper and wider than the rest of the bikes. He seemed unstable, like he was driving blind. In the next moment, his bike flipped and went off course, confirming all of Bloom's fears. Musa screamed and started running towards him, like she could catch him in time. Before Riven could hit the ground, however, a mystery rider appeared out of nowhere, catching Riven and saving him from a brutal fall.

The mystery rider laid Riven gently on the ground, removed his helmet, and brought him back to consciousness. There was something about the rider's movements though that looked strange, like they were not the kind that would be used in medical care, more like for casting a spell. Bloom swore she saw a flash of purple before Riven spurred into action, coughing and hunching over into a sitting position.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice rough.

The mystery rider removed their helmet to reveal none other than the brown-haired witch. All three girls sucked in a uniform breath, immediately recognizing their foe. They couldn't do anything about her there though. In the moment, she looked like a hero. Any unprovoked attack and it would be them that looked like the villains.

"The name's Darcy," the witch said in a sultry tone. Riven looked up at her as if he were a blind man seeing the light for the first time. It was almost sickening to watch, such a strange juxtaposition to his normal behavior that Bloom immediately suspected that the purple flash she thought she had seen before was definitely real. Riven was being spelled, the only questions now were what the spell was and why the witches wanted him in particular.

Darcy helped him up gently, avoiding the scrapes and bruises that covered his body despite the incredible padding. He must've been hurting all over. Maybe that was why his next words were so horribly mean.

"This is your fault!" Riven shouted, pointing to Bloom.

"Me?" she asked, flabbergasted. "How is this my -"

"Your little display earlier just wasn't good enough was it? You had to publicly humiliate me, had to go messing with my stuff? You did something to my visor! I couldn't see a thing!" Riven accused, and if he were more in control of his body, Bloom knew he would try to go at her physically. "You could've killed me!"

"That isn't true!" Brandon insisted, coming to Bloom's defense when she couldn't find the words to reply. "She's been with me this whole time!"

"Oh yeah? I've seen they way you look at her," Riven sneered, blatantly ogling Bloom's body to make a point. "How do I know you aren't just saying that and taking her side so you can get into her pants?"

"Riven, I know I hurt you earlier; I took things too far. But _this_ wasn't me. It was her! It was Darcy - I saw her cast some spell on you! Don't you believe me?" Bloom asked, seeking a genuine answer. Today aside, she had only ever been nice to him; she spoke her peace and she'd had no other reason not to treat him well. Still, he looked at her as if she were the scum of the world, his eyes full of hatred and cynicism. They seemed even further angered by the fact that everyone seemed to be taking Bloom's side, not his.

"Darcy has done nothing but help me," Riven shot back, standing next to Darcy's side while she smiled smugly, clearly proud of whatever work she had done. "You're the ones who have the problem, not me!"

"Bro, think about this for just a second - " Prince Sky pleaded, trying to deescalate things.

"Fuck this, I'm out," Riven cursed, shrugging off Musa's touch, scooping up his shattered helmet, and storming off.

"Come on Riven, you need to get checked out by a medic!" Brandon tried to get him to listen, but to no avail. He body checked his friend and kept on his way, Darcy close behind, attached to his side.

By this point, everyone within a few feet radius was staring, and none of them had kind looks to go Bloom's way. She felt her skin prickle, all the negative attention putting her on edge. The group clustered together tightly, everyone worried about their wayward friend. Riven might have been a dick, but they still cared about him, and running off with a witch was a recipe for disaster.

"We can't just let him leave with her," Musa said worriedly, watching him get further and further away.

"Come on, let's go get him before he does something stupid," Prince Sky suggested, and the girls and Specialists left in Riven's general direction.

It was easy to catch up with him. He was tired and weary; there was only so far he could go. Darcy was carrying him to the witches part of Magix, and everyone knew that witch turf was dangerous turf. No one crossed over unless they were in search of a major beat down. To make matters worse, the other two witches were waiting for Darcy on the corner, the ice witch wearing a victory grin as she watched her sister bring home their prize.

"It's those witches!" Bloom shouted, bringing attention to them.

"Time to stop them once and for all!" Musa said, angry and rearing for a fight. "Magix Winx!"

The girls transformed, even Bloom whose dark transformation garnered strange looks from Prince Sky and Brandon. Now was not the time to focus on fashion though. Now was the time to kick ass.

"Oh look, how cute. The pixies actually think they stand a chance," the ice witch simpered, not even bothering to stand and fight them as she leaned against the building. Her confidence and cockiness were enough to rival Riven's. Perhaps he and the witches were suited for each other.

"Watch where you're standing losers!" the poofy haired witch shouted, alerting them to the fact that they were close to dangerous territory and that there were dozens of angry, fairy-hating witches waiting to back those three up.

"Ladies, attack!" the ice witch ordered.

All hell broke loose.

The girls were bombarded with spells of all sorts from every single one of the witches on the street. It was like dodging bullets, completely impossible not to get hit by something. Thankfully, Prince Sky unsheathed his blade and struck the ground, creating some sort of green force field that divided the witches from the girls, knocking them all off balance. There were still the original three to deal with though, and they did not seem to like this thinning of their ranks.

Darcy whispered something into Riven's ear, and he shoved his way through the crowd of disoriented witches to expose his own magenta blade. He struck Prince Sky, forcing him to duck and roll, removing the force field that let the three senior witches back into the battle.

Round Two was worse than the first.

The girls were getting tossed around like rag dolls. Every time they got a punch in, the witches came back in full force. The ice witch turned the air so cold Bloom could barely feel her fingers, chasing down Stella as she combatted solar energy with frost. Darcy targeted Musa, tormenting the girl with clones and mirages, cornering her into a parking lot. She raised the cars in the air and aimed them Musa's way like some form of sick bumper cars. It only took a few of them to knock the music fairy out, her delicate frame lying splayed on the ground. Riven didn't even seem to care, his focus on Prince Sky and Brandon, the three of them clashing swords and brawling in the street.

Bloom needed to end this. They weren't going to last much longer.

She tried to fly towards Musa, to get her up off the ground before Darcy crushed her under the weight of ten cars, but she got pulled in by a tornado.

"Not so fast!" the poofy haired witch yelled, manipulating the storm as it tossed Bloom around, throwing her out roughly in the opposite direction of where she needed to be.

Again, Bloom dashed towards Musa, only to have lightning strike her off course.

"Your friends are done for! There's nothing you can do," the poofy haired witch taunted, blocking Bloom off at every turn.

Bloom was angry. Each bump and bruise, each time the witch stood in her way, only escalated the fury building inside her. It was getting too hard to contain. The red was overpowering. More than red was gold - a fiery gold that swarmed her vision. Her fists clenched tightly, primal energy building at her fingertips.

"Get out of my way!" Bloom roared.

There was such a huge surge of power that it knocked back everything in its path, sending the witches falling out of the sky and crashing to the ground. It seemed like disorganized chaos, but when the light dimmed down, for a split second, the image of a dragon could be seen coiling around the explosion's epicenter. It faded away quickly, the power surge dying. The light went away altogether, but everyone was gone when it went out. The witches were gone, the civilians were gone, Riven was gone. There were only the two Specialist and two fairies staring up as their friend touched back down to the ground with the most intense orange glow. There was no denying who was the cause of such an efflux of power. There was no denying that Bloom was so much more than what she led on to be. Not when she was radiating pure power and energy even when in a non-transformed state.

But Bloom didn't get to see any of that.

Exhaustion drove her to her knees and all she saw was darkness.

* * *

"We got our asses handed to us by freshmen. I hope that doesn't ruin our reputation," Stormy lamented as she studied her nails, one of them clearly broken.

The three sisters stood outside the doors to Cloud Tower, enjoying the positively terrible weather on the pavilion. It was a night for celebration, a night to revel in their victories even when they disguised themselves as losses. Nothing could ruin Icy's perfectly evil mood. She was standing on the cusp of greatness, she could practically taste it.

"It doesn't matter. Not one bit," Icy told her sister. "We finally know who has the Dragon Flame. All the power of the Magical Dimension is finally within reach."

"Now with Bloom's friend turned against her, it's only a matter of time before we turn the rest and have her running right into our clutches," Darcy added, arms folded across her chest as she looked up to the sky, no doubt thinking about how she would rearrange the stars to her image once she had the power to command them.

"What did you end up doing to that boy Darcy?" Stormy asked, unable to keep herself from taunting her sister. "Did you domesticate him?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. "He'll do his part. He'll make the perfect spy."

"And the perfect lover," Stormy said under her breath, causing both she and Icy to laugh at their sister's expense.

"Laugh all you want, but every part to this plan is important," Darcy replied shortly, not liking being made fun of. It wasn't her fault she had a sexual appetite that only egotistical, brutish males could satisfy. Besides, if she was going to use a boy for nefarious purposes, she might as well milk him for what he was worth. No one could blame her for that, especially not her sisters. Not when she was helping them towards greatness.

"You're right," Icy replied. Her sister had a fair point. Besides, one boy's fate hardly mattered in their grand scheme of things. He was insignificant, a pawn to be played and then discarded. They were the real players on the board, and in time everyone was going to know it. "Soon, all our hard work will pay off. We will rule like the queens we were always meant to be."


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: I know I am updating super fast! I am on a roll! This never happens so don't expect it to last much longer! (Also, I promise that I'm working on Red Lights as well - just be patient with me please!) This chapter is sort of an information dump, but important nonetheless. Thanks for you everlasting support loves! Be sure to leave comments on the way out - they're what keep me going making awesome stories! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 10

 _Bloom._

It was the voice, that ethereal feminine voice that had guided her to safety at Cloud Tower. It was all-encompassing, as if it were coming from all directions, enveloping Bloom. The strange part was that it was a comforting voice, something that made her feel safe and loved. Even stranger was that the voice sounded familiar.

 _Bloom._

There is was again, as if her name were the only word that voice knew. Bloom knew that was not true though. She had heard her speak more words at Cloud Tower. But Bloom was also the only one to hear her, or see her. The Nymph of Magix, Tecna had called the golden woman. What did someone so powerful want with her?

 _Where are you?_ Bloom asked, looking around but finding nothing, only the same blue void.

 _I am here Bloom._

Suddenly, she appeared, though much larger than Bloom remembered. The golden woman's face took up Bloom's entire field of vision, her skin radiating pure golden light. Though masked, she seemed beautiful and young, smoothy kindly features making Bloom feel welcomed and protected. The golden woman smiled and lifted her hands for Bloom to stand. Her hands were solid and warm, radiating both heat and immense power.

 _Who are you?_ Bloom asked, needing to know.

 _It's me Bloom. Don't you remember me? Don't you know my voice?_

Somehow the woman managed to speak without ever opening her mouth. It was as if her voice came from her mind and directly linked to Bloom's. It was unnerving, and strangely intimate, but Bloom didn't seem to mind. Why didn't she seem to mind?

 _You're the one who helped me escape from Cloud Tower...but who are you?_

 _My name is Daphne, the Nymph of Magix._

That name was familiar, her title more so. Then it hit her: the Nymphs of Magix were depicted on the facade of Town Hall. In the facade, there were nine of them, the one in center lifting up the scales of justice. From what little she could infer, the Nymphs were supposed to keep the peace, supposed to be supreme beings with incredible power. So why was one so determined to get her attention?

 _What do you want with me? How come only I can see you?_

 _I am here to protect you Bloom. I am here to guide you to your destiny._

Again, there was the pinpricking sensation of their mental connection. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but the power that surged through her body when it happened gave a rush unlike any other.

 _You're in my head..._ Bloom trailed off, rubbing at her temples.

 _I am everywhere you are. I am in your head. I am in your heart. I am always with you and always have been._

That was very vague, too vague for Bloom's liking. The only thing she was getting from this was that some sort of all-powerful omniscient being had taken up residence in her mind for a nondescript amount of time. Was she the reason for all this insanity? If Bloom found a way to detach the Nymph from her brain, would she return to normal?

The Nymph let out a soft, sighing laugh.

 _Things are rarely that simple, Bloom. I am not the cause of your affliction. I am here to protect you, to help you overcome the nature that troubles you._

 _Help me to understand. Do you know why I'm like this?_ Bloom asked. If Daphne wasn't going to answer questions about herself, maybe she would answer ones about Bloom.

 _All in due time, my beloved daughter._

Bloom barely had time to process those words before the Nymph removed her hand from under Bloom, letting her fall down into the deep blue unknown, darkness consuming everything until there was nothing but the overwhelming crushing sensation of drowning.

Bloom bolted upright, chest heaving and sheets soaked from sweat. She was lying on a bed - a gurney to be more accurate - one of the ones found in the nurse's office at Alfea. She had no idea how she got there, but at least it was a familiar, tangible place.

There was no trace of the blue void.

There was no trace of the golden woman.

* * *

According to her friends, Bloom had been unconscious for two days.

After her large surge of power at The Day of the Rose, she had apparently fallen into a comatose-like state. Nurse Ophelia didn't know what was wrong with her, and could not explain the sudden powerful shifts in her magic that made her glow with golden light before switching from her human form to her fairy form. There was something else in Ophelia's expression, something akin to fear, that let Bloom know that other things must've happened while she was unconscious, things she did not want to know. Perhaps it was a blessing that she woke up completely unaware of what had happened, unable to remember anything from when she was asleep. She could faintly remember a voice and the soft caress of warm golden light, but the details were fuzzy. It was infuriating, but maybe it was for the best. Whatever happened was over. Bloom was awake and fully functional, and very behind in class.

The first thing she did after eating and showering was go to the library.

The librarian herself was of no use, a forgettable woman with her head stuck in a book and a poor attitude. Instead of trying to help, she directed Bloom to the catalogue in the next room over. It was a small golden podium shaped like a butterfly complete with two curling antennae. The thing had no words, no instructions for Bloom to follow. It was by sheer luck that she leaned over, winded up placing her hand on the smooth butterfly wing, and activated it.

 _Keyword_ , the catalogue demanded in its robotic monotone.

"Daphne, Nymph of Magix," Bloom tried, her voice soft as not to be overheard. Not that she was trying to be secretive, but she didn't want the librarian or anyone else poking around her business. That, and she wasn't sure how to work the thing and didn't want to embarrass herself if she was doing it wrong.

A few books flew from different shelves and placed themselves on the stand, automatically opening to what they deemed the most relevant pages.

 _Daphne, the Nymph of Magix, also known as the Nymph of Sirenix, was the eldest daughter of King Oritel and Queen Miriam, the last reigning monarchs of the planet Sparks before its destruction by the Ancestral Witches._

That was such a loaded sentence that Bloom's head spun from all the things she did not understand. What was Sirenix? What exactly happened to Sparks? Who were the Ancestral Witches and why did they want to destroy an entire planet? How long ago was this? The book offered no other information. Daphne was reduced to one sentence in the entirety of history, yet she seemed to be so powerful and important.

She had called Bloom _daughter_.

That word was an overbearing presence in the forefront of Bloom's mind, yet there was nothing to suggest the Nymph ever had any children. In fact, from what history said she seemed to young to even have to chance to bear children. Maybe she meant daughter in the universal sense, like everyone were 'brothers' and 'sisters'. Bloom had to stop reading and let the questions pile up, hoping to pull from the lot to get a better understanding of what she was dealing with. Perhaps it was best to work with the background information and go from there.

Bloom placed her hand on the catalogue and tried again.

"Sparks," she said this time, and more books flew her way.

The first one opened up to a map of the stars, pointing out the planet's location in the Magical Dimension, or at least where its remains were. According to another book opened up to her left, the Ancestral Witches left the planet's surface a hostile wasteland, choking out all signs of life under a layer of obsidian stone. Bloom felt a shiver run down her spine as she continued on reading about the effects of their conquest.

 _Sparks, once a prosperous and bustling capital of the Magical Dimension now lies as a cold and barren wasteland. The heart of the Great Dragon, which once made its home amongst the planet's sprawling green valleys, has been extinguished, leaving only an obsidian crust on top of a cold, lifeless core._

She felt a sense of melancholy reading the words. It was horrible for an entire planet's worth of people to meet their end in such a gruesome fashion. Bloom flipped the page to find genealogy trees along with pictures of the last royal family. There was a young brunet man and a redheaded woman standing side by side, very much in love. The king and queen no doubt, if Bloom were to judge based off their finery and the crowns atop their heads. In a picture next to theirs were two people, one young woman with curly blonde hair and the small baby in her arms. The young woman was wearing a mask, a very familiar golden mask with plumes in the middle, and Bloom gasped.

It was Daphne.

She looked so young and cheerful in the photo, not at all like the stoic woman from Bloom's visions. Bloom wondered who the child in her arms was, and if it managed to survive, or if she was lost just as their planet was. They all seemed too young to be lost so soon. It made Bloom sad for some unexplainable reason, but she didn't linger much longer on that. Bloom had more questions to answer. So she shoved the books on Sparks aside and asked the catalogue something else.

"The Ancestral Witches," Bloom said, now expecting the wave of books. However, this time it took a while for the dark, dusty tome to make its way to the podium. Bloom felt dark energy radiating from this book, a certain edge of caution about opening its pages. _The Last Witch Coven_ didn't seem like a very reassuring title either. Still, Bloom persisted in her quest for knowledge, and let the library do its thing. The book opened with a dusty creak, the lettering on the page faded from time.

 _The Ancestral Witches Belladonna, Tharma, and Lysslis, or the Ancestresses, are considered to be the Mothers of All Witches. Most witches claim ancestry from their roots, acknowledging the three as the first practitioners of the dark mystic arts. They are creatures spawned from pure Evil in the depths of Obsidian and of great antiquity. They were both greatly feared and revered in certain circles, though reclusive in nature so that they faded to myth. Their last appearance in history marks them in search of the Dragon Flame, which led to their last battle on the planet of Sparks and ultimately ended in their defeat by The Company of Light. The Company managed to ensnare the Ancestral Witches, trapping them in their home realm of Obsidian for all eternity._

That seemed like such an anticlimactic ending for what were supposed to be the most destructive forces of nature ever created, though she felt there was some poetry in their demise. To be locked where they were born, to meet their end at the beginning felt like justice. This Company of Light must have had to been very powerful to stop three women strong enough to singlehandedly destroy a planet. Bloom kept the name tucked in the corner of her mind to return to later when she had the chance.

"The Great Dragon."

One of the books she had already opened - the one about Sparks - flipped to the beginning, the page showing a beautiful illustration of two opposite creatures locked in battle. It reminded her of Yin and Yang, and as she read, she picked up on more similarities.

 _In the beginning, there were two primal forces: The Darkness and The Light. They were perfect counterbalances to one another, a push and pull that were always stable in Time. Until one day, the balance shifted and The Darkness spawned into a force of great chaos and destruction called The Shadow Phoenix. To reestablish order, from The Light was born the Great Dragon, a creature whose first flame created the universe as we know it. When The Dragon's work was done and the universe was complete, it found a resting place on the planet now known as Sparks. In the Dragon's absence, it was rumored to have left behind a Flame, a remnant of its great power to guide the continuation of creation. Such a Flame was sought after for millennia, rumored to be passed down through the royal family of Sparks, though the true source of the Flame is_ _unknown. All that is known is that the Flame contains an infinite potential for creation and life which has been come to be known as the Ultimate Power._

"What is going on here?" came the angry, baffled voice of Headmistress Faragonda.

Bloom tore her focus away from the page to see the Headmistress marching her way followed by the small, pink-haired librarian with glasses who Bloom remembered seeing at the front desk when she walked in.

"I'm catching up on my, uh, homework," Bloom tried lamely, not in the mood to be interviewed about what she was doing in her spare time. But the excuse wasn't going to be sufficient enough to stave away the nosey Headmistress, not when there were numerous books now piled at Bloom's feet, none of them anything that would normally be picked out for a few first-year assignments. Bloom hadn't even been there long and she knew that much.

"These books are from the restricted section. How did you get them?" the Headmistress demanded upon further inspection, snapping the book on the podium shut immediately and handing it over to the skittish librarian.

"They just came to me," Bloom explained. She really didn't think she was doing anything wrong with research. She was trying to learn something; that had to count for something.

"You were simply searching through _The Last Witch Coven_ for the answers to your Transformation homework?" the Headmistress asked, her voice elevated an octave as she questioned Bloom.

"I was looking for information on The Great Dragon, if you must know."

"Why would you want information on that?" The Headmistress asked, confused but also critical, making Bloom think that this was an unusual topic to research.

"Because _you_ wouldn't tell us anything about the Dragon Flame or why the witches want it so badly," Bloom decided to say, which was something of the truth. But if this was how the Headmistress was reacting to a little insight on the matter, Bloom did not want to have things escalate. The less the Headmistress knew, the better it would be for the both of them, but mostly herself.

"And for good reason," the Headmistress harrumphed. She seemed distracted, nervous even, as if something about the topic set her on edge.

"How are we supposed to protect ourselves from something that we don't know anything about?" Bloom asked, getting fed up with being kept in the dark so blatantly.

Headmistress Faragonda looked affronted by Bloom's sudden passion, shocked that anyone would consider to argue with her. However, in the next moment she steeled over her expression and glared down her student, making sure that her point was clear.

"The Dragon Flame is an ancient power capable of more destruction than any of us will ever know. Wherever it goes, there are those who wish to use it for their own malicious purposes and death always follows. As the Headmistress of this college, I pray that the Dragon Flame is far away from here, both for the safety of my students, and for the good of everyone else." Faragonda replied harshly and shortly, making Bloom flinch. "Now if you are quite finished, I want you to return to your dormitory at once."

"Yes, Headmistress," Bloom replied begrudgingly, not wanting to incur her wrath any further. Whatever the Dragon Flame had done to Faragonda, it must've been horrible. She looked haunted, like she was transported somewhere else while she spoke.

As she exited the library, Bloom turned and watched the Headmistress with arms full of forbidden texts walk quickly into a dark, cordoned off part of the library, as if something were hot on her heels. That woman was definitely hiding something, or at least keeping her away from part of the truth. Bloom was tired of being lied to. She was tired of being used as a pawn in other people's games. First the witches, then Daphne the Nymph, now Faragonda. It was all becoming too much to keep up with. Bloom just wanted answers, so answers she would get.

Once she was out of earshot, Bloom pulled out her cell and dialed a number she got on the Day of the Rose. It only rang once before the person on the other line picked up.

"Brandon speaking, who's this?"

"It's Bloom."

"Hey Bloom, what's up?" Brandon asked, clearly surprised but pleasantly so.

"Are you still willing to take me to Cloud Tower?"

"I said I was then, and I still am now."

"Great. Because we need to go. Tonight."


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: This is it! The big reveal! Crazy things happening this chapter (also kinda channeling Harry Potter) - can't wait to see how you like it! Love you all to bits! Please leave comments on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 11

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Brandon asked as Bloom dismounted the levobike.

"I'm sure," Bloom asserted, looking up at the Cloud Tower School for Witches. From the ground, the fortress looked even more formidable. But Bloom knew her way around this time. "This is something I have to do alone."

She could tell that Brandon was going to protest, his blue eyes clouded with a mix of concern and frustration. It was getting dark out, and they were by themselves on an unsanctioned trip through the woods to the most hostile area in all of Magix. It was like a recipe for disaster, but that didn't change Bloom's mind. Whatever there was to find in the library was hers to find and hers alone. This was a private matter, and while she appreciated all of Brandon's help in transporting her, his presence was no longer wanted nor needed.

"Fine, but keep the coms open," he instructed, tapping on his ear for good measure. "I'll keep watch if anyone comes, but try to be quick. I don't like the feel of this place."

Bloom nodded tersely, agreeing with him though it irked her that he was trying to rush her.

"See you soon," he said, giving his usual two-finger salute before Bloom transformed and flew up through the first opening she could find.

The school wasn't as empty as it was the last time. She could hear voices whispering and laughing from down the hall, the sound of footsteps clicking down stone floors. This must be just like any other day, so she would have to be careful. The path to the library was a familiar one, the fire forever scorching that trail into her memory. She crept around corners, sticking to the shadows until she slipped behind a group of witches as they exited the library, catching the door before it clicked shut.

It looked like the library was closing down for the night, small groups of girls getting up from their tables with selected texts in hand, scrolls tucked under arms for safe keeping while a disgruntled librarian shooed everyone out of sight. Thankfully, the librarian wasn't as keen on cleaning up as Alfea's was; the woman simply raised her hand to cast the failsafe charm and went on her way.

Now Bloom was alone to find the book.

It was still where she left it: sitting on the podium waiting to be opened, her name on the cover beckoning her to it. Bloom felt anxious, nervous even, as she stepped closer and closer to the book. There was so much power in the knowledge it held, the power to change her entire life. Now that she was so close, she was beginning to have second thoughts. Was this really what she wanted? Did she really want to know _everything_? Because once she dived in, there was no going back.

Steeling herself, she made her decision. She was going to read the book. She didn't come all this way and break a dozen rules for nothing.

Bloom stepped up to the podium and peered down at the book. All she would have to do is open the cover, just take one step at a time. Her hand hovered over the cover in anticipation, fingers thumbing the the spine.

 _Bloom, think about what you are doing,_ Daphne said, appearing out of nowhere as she extended one golden hand to pause Bloom's own. Bloom was surprised to see her there. She'd only appeared to her twice before...three times if she counted that weird hallucination at The Day of the Rose. She wasn't expecting one so soon, and definitely not one that included what sounded like the start of a lecture.

"I need to know. And if you won't tell me, I'll have to learn it for myself," Bloom explained, ignoring the golden woman.

 _Bloom, you are not ready to know the truth._

"I am tired of you and everyone else telling me what I can and cannot do," Bloom snapped, feeling slightly guilty for being mean to someone who had quite literally saved her life but also feeling justified in her anger. Daphne knew something - a lot of things, presumably - about Bloom's past that she was deliberately not willing to tell. If anything, Daphne was one of the factors that led Bloom to seek answers from witches. If Daphne had a problem with Bloom's research method's, she should have been more helpful.

Daphne looked sad, resigned in the way she faded into the background, vanishing from view as to not interfere any longer.

Good. Bloom wasn't going to let anything stop her from opening that book.

She waved her hand to disable the firesafe, cracked the spine, and touched the page.

Immediately, Bloom was overcome with the nauseating feeling of her stomach being turned inside out before she went spiraling headfirst into a ballroom. Where the ballroom came from, she had no clue, but she refused to entertain the notion that the book had _eaten_ her for any longer than she had to. All the blood rushed to her head and then she was there, amongst a swarm of intricately, extravagantly dressed people. They could not see her, or if they did, they did not care to make way for her. Dancing couples knocked her around like a pinball, as if she were nothing as they did not even register her presence. It was bizarre.

Once she made her way out of the war zone that was the dance floor, Bloom tried to call someone, anyone over to her and explain what the hell was going on and where she was. But even as she waved a hand in front of the face of a man in a multicolored suit, it was as if she were invisible.

Bloom did a 360 spin, taking in the entire place. It was a large room, bigger than any she had ever seen and that included the halls in Alfea. The ceilings were high and vaulted, made of stone with lots of stained glass windows dotted along the walls. It almost reminded her of a church, except there were no pews and lots of what looked like liquor circulating around a very inebriated room. Everyone must have been gathered there for someone important - a king perhaps? Was this a palace? It would make sense with this many finely dressed people in one place.

Also, judging by the fashion and the architecture, and the physical attributes of some of the guests, this had to be in the Magical Dimension. That's where Bloom was confused. She was just a girl from Earth. If this was truly something out of her book, then why would it take place in the Magical Dimension?

A laugh pulled Bloom out of her thoughts. Not just any laugh - a familiar one. One she had recently heard, more subdued than what she was hearing now, but definitely the same. She turned sharply in search of the sound, and sure enough, there was the source.

Daphne.

She looked so much different than she did as a Nymph and what her picture showed. It was so strange, yet so fascinating to see her this way. Daphne must have been only a year or two older than Bloom, with soft golden curls and golden brown eyes. She was practically radiating the same amount of gold, just a different kind. Her hair was done up in an elaborate twist, a fitted ballgown making her the belle of the ball. She had a tiara placed on her head, and a blue sash across her waist to distinguish her position. She was seated on a dias, people coming to greet her periodically and bring her gifts while the King and Queen stood off the side, admiring their daughter from a distance.

 _This party must be for her,_ Bloom thought. A birthday maybe. But again, what did Bloom's history have to do with her?

Suddenly, the scene changed, as if there were something the book needed Bloom to see. Her attention was drawn to a tall, mysterious looking man across the ballroom. He was sauntering over to Daphne, the crowds parting ways for him. Bloom could feel his sway, the power he had over other people It was intoxicating, but that alone was enough to make her feel wary. No one else felt that way though, including Daphne, who swooned over him as he bowed at the waist and kissed her hand.

The stranger physically towered over the young princess, but she didn't seem to mind that he could crush her. Instead, she graciously accepted his hand to dance, the entire room looking on at the strange, beautiful couple with both awe and jealousy. Bloom's vision spun as they danced, watching Daphne's love-struck expression and the stranger's thin lipped grin. Bloom had the faintest thought that she was watching some form of very powerful magic, but she saw none being used. It was as if the man were seducing her by no means other than his body.

Then it hit her. That's what she could do.

 _Is this man like me?_ Bloom thought, her curiosity and alarm skyrocketing.

As if the book could read her thoughts, the scene changed, and Bloom found herself being pushed into another room of the palace. The bedroom to be exact. Daphne's bedroom. Bloom knew this because Daphne was sprawled naked on the bed, curled up in the side of the stranger. Clearly, the sex had not killed her, which made Bloom's curiosity wane. Maybe this guy was not like her. Or maybe he was skilled enough to control himself. Bloom had no way of knowing. All she knew was that his charm, that sense of overpowering presence that the man gave off earlier had waned. Bloom could tell that Daphne felt it too, his spell wearing off as she began to look concerned, scared even.

Bloom could see that the two were talking, and the book took the initiative to turn the volume up so Bloom could hear.

 _What have you done to me?_ Daphne asked, and Bloom could hear the sheer panic in her voice.

 _Nothing my love,_ the man assured her, his voice low and gravelly, yet still strangely reassuring. He busied himself with stroking Daphne's stomach, caressing the flat skin possessively. Bloom could tell it disturbed her, made Daphne's eyes widen in fear. _You won't even remember this night, and neither will your kingdom. And when our precious child finally arrives, this entire kingdom will take to her in stride._

 _Her?_ Daphne asked, her voice light and airy, but not in the way it usually was. More in the way that sounded like she was about to pass out.

 _Yes, her,_ he repeated, speaking to her stomach now, Daphne herself long forgotten. _A perfect future Queen of the Succubi._

What. The fuck.

Did that mean...?

Was that supposed to be...what she thought it was...?

Bloom's mind was reeling, but before she had the chance to fully process what was happening, the scene changed again, the colors distorting and picture blurring until she was in Daphne's room, but at a later time. The golden haired girl was leaned over a bucket off the side of her bed, puking her guts into it. It was disgusting, and Daphne looked so miserable that Bloom couldn't help but feel bad for her.

 _What is wrong with me?_ the princess groaned, clutching her stomach. Bloom had a sinking feeling that she already knew.

 _I'll go fetch a doctor Miss,_ one of the maids said while another wiped at her forehead with a damp cloth.

 _I've never seen anything like this before,_ the maid said, Bloom's ears taking her outside the room to where the woman who had left was conversing private with the King and Queen. _It's almost like she is..._

 _Like she is what?_ the Queen asked, her tone worried as she cast a glance inside to her daughter.

 _Like she is pregnant, Your Majesty._

 _That is impossible. If our daughter had any male suitors, we would know,_ the king said with finality.

Bloom was confused. Did they not just watch their daughter dance the night away with Mr. Tall Dark and Dangerous at the ball? Did they forget he completely existed? What was going on?

 _The signs are all there: the morning sickness, cravings, sensitivity of the breasts and abdomen. She turned away her favorite meal last night because she thought it spoiled. Her dresses have progressively been getting tighter,_ the maid said, the King and Queen growing more and more concerned with every word. _I mean no disrespect, but perhaps our princess has not been entirely honest about her activities around the palace._

 _Our daughter cannot be with child,_ the King said worriedly, his brow furrowed _. Not only would it ruin her chances of finding a good suitor, but a pregnancy would ruin the reputation of the Royal Family of Sparks as a whole._

 _What are we to do, Your Majesties?_ the maid asked, needing to go back inside and tell her mistress something.

 _We will claim the child as our own,_ the Queen spoke up, strong in her conviction _. Daphne and I will avoid all social situations for the upcoming months, and when the time comes, I shall claim the child._

 _Miriam, be reasonable,_ the King said, shocked that his wife would suggest such a thing. Bloom was in his boat; that was a rather rash plan.

 _It is the best scenario Oritel. It is the only way to keep the child in the family and still retain our dignity._

The Queen had a point. Still, Bloom was nervous to see how this all ended. She had a feeling she knew how this was going to end, she just couldn't believe it. All she could do was keep watching as the King approached the Queen.

 _You would be wiling?_

 _We have always wanted another child,_ the Queen said, a melancholy mirth to her eyes that Bloom was unable to place. I _am willing only if you are._

The King came up and embraced his wife, placing a kiss on her forehead and drawing on her strength. It _shall be done._

The moment paused and the scene spun once more, making Bloom's head pound. This time she was in a different room of the palace and was faced with a graphic scene that she could've lived her whole life without seeing. Daphne was in the final phases of labor, squeezing her mother's hand for dear life while a nurse instructed her to push as hard as she could.

Daphne pushed as hard as she could, planting her feet in the blood-stained sheets and bearing her weight down. One painful moment later, the child slipped free and into the hands of the nurse, leaving Daphne spent and breathing hard. The baby screeched as its lungs expanded and took in their first burning stretch of air. The baby writhed and cried, seeking the warm safety of its mother. Daphne was lying on the bed, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes as her mother stroked back her sweaty blonde curls that were plastered to her forehead.

Once the nurse was finished cleaning the child, she passed it off to Daphne, who simply lit up as she held her daughter.

 _What shall we call her?_ the Queen asked, peering down at her grandchild-soon-to-be-daughter.

 _Bloom_ , Daphne panted, exhausted from labor but overcome with joy as she took in her little bundle. _Her name is Bloom._

 _What a lovely name,_ the Queen praised, placing a kiss on her daughter's head.

The name seemed to echo, the weight of the word reverberating deep into Bloom's bones.

Daphne and her parents stood linked together around the bed, peering down at a baby version of Bloom herself. Their expressions were filled with so much love that Bloom felt like she was going to choke up. But she wasn't quite capable of intense emotion at the moment. Not when her entire knowledge of herself and her life was crumbling down.

Bloom was shocked, though she supposed she saw this coming. She was Daphne's daughter, just like she had been told in the dream. Bloom was wanting, or at least hoping that some part of that statement was metaphorical, not realistic. It felt as if her whole life was a lie, like the parents who raised her were not the people she though them to be. They had never once told her she had other parents, that she was adopted. They never once hinted that she might have had magical connections. Did they even know about that? Even if they didn't, they still never told her she was adopted. That was low. They had deprived her of knowing a crucial part of who she was. Maybe if she had known this sooner, she could have figured out what she was and how to control her nature before now.

She didn't have much more time to ruminate before the scene changed again.

This time it wasn't pretty.

There was fire raining down from the sky, cratering the green grassy plains surrounding the royal palace. People were screaming and crying, the smell of smoke and burning flesh tickling Bloom's nose and making her gag. Everywhere she looked there was destruction. The city was crumbling, falling apart under massive black storm clouds. Bloom knew what this was. In this journey she had simply forgotten.

This was the day the Ancestral Witches attacked. This was the day Sparks died.

Bloom was transported inside the palace, which looked no better from the inside than the outside. The once magnificent rooms were lying in ruin, pieces of the celling falling down, cracking the foundation and squashing the staff underneath millions of tons of stone. The windows were blown out, the decor torn to bits. It was like the book was dragging her down the halls at light speed, showing her the extent of the carnage before depositing her in a nursery.

Daphne was there, as was the baby - herself as a baby, Bloom reminded herself, trying to get used to that face - but they were both in peril. From her perspective, Bloom could see the Ancestral Witches closing in on the pair, their gnarled, ancient hands reaching out to steal whatever power they wanted. Daphne was already dressed up in her Nymph regalia, long golden robe, mask and all. They must've been after her, thinking she had the Dragon Flame.

Outside, the sky was getting darker, almost reaching the palace. There wasn't any time left. Bloom had no idea where the King and Queen were, though she suspected to worst to leave their daughter and granddaughter alone to face the witches.

 _Where was the Company of Light?_ Bloom wondered. Surely they had to be around here somewhere. They were supposed to stop the witches. They were supposed to save the day...weren't they?

Bloom's heart was racing. She didn't know how they were going to make it out. They were cornered with nowhere to go, and Daphne, in all her power, could not beat the Ancestral Witches on her own. But Daphne, in all her power, knew that her time was limited as well. Bloom could see the resignation in her eyes, the pain of defeat but the hope of survival.

In one fluid movement, Daphne pulled what looked like a ball of fire from her chest. It crackled with power, its intensity almost blinding even though this was just a memory from a book. She placed that power inside the baby, and with her remaining free hand, opened a portal and cast the baby inside without hesitation.

Bloom was stunned.

The witches were outraged.

In the next moment, all three Ancestresses cast their magic onto Daphne. Bloom heard the words of an incarnation, and then Daphne was screaming. Her body writhed until it fell to the ground, unmoving. A golden light was cast overtop the body, condensing into a single orb before it shot off into the distance. Bloom watched it break the atmosphere, traveling somewhere unknown. The body left behind the ground was unmoving, and though it made her sick, Bloom knew in her heart that Daphne was dead.

She didn't get to see what happened next. She didn't get to see the downfall of the witches or what happened once the baby reached the other side of the portal (though she knew the rest of the story - eventually being found by her parents and raised on Earth). Even though she pleaded with the book to take her back, to show her more, it did not listen. Instead, the book took her somewhere dark, cold, and damp. It wasn't a friendly place, nowhere near as nice as the palace Bloom was used to seeing.

Looking around, Bloom saw that the place was a cave. A cavernous space so tall that she could not see the ceiling. The ground was hard and black, though there was a path illuminated by firelight. The book pushed her through it at top speed until she reached a sprawling city growing out of the stone. Spires rose so high that she could not see the top. The roads were so intricate, bridges overlapping one another in a network that seemed impossible to navigate. At the center of the maze lied a palace bigger than the one on Sparks but made entirely out of dark stone, just like the rest of the city.

Bloom flew up the steps and through the front door. When the book finally slowed her down, she realized it had deposited her a few feet behind a man - specifically Mr. Tall Dark and Dangerous who knocked up Daphne...her _father_ , Bloom realized with a jolt. He looked different than Bloom remembered, more feral somehow. His broad chest was bare, a tunic wrapped around his waist held in place by a bejeweled belt carrying a serrated sword. More alarming were the slants to his eyes which were now serpentine and red, points to small horns protruding from his forehead.

The book seemed to want her to follow him, pushing Bloom in his direction. Horrified but intrigued, Bloom followed.

The man stormed through a set of double doors to what looked like a throne room: a vast narrow hall lined with columns and a large throne composed of stone and bone. There were more horned creatures like him filling the space along the walls, all murmuring to themselves though going silent as the man passed. They all seemed to hold their breath, awaiting what he had to say.

The man dropped to one knee as he approached the figure sitting on the throne. From this distance, Bloom could not yet tell what the figure looked like.

 _The vessel and her planet are dead,_ the man said, his words met with gasps and murmurs from the crowd.

The figure on the throne snarled, clearly upset by the news.

 _And what of the heir?_ the figure demanded, the voice low and dangerous but feminine.

 _I have yet to locate her,_ the man said, clearly disappointed in himself.

The figure on the throne let out a frustrated yell. It rose to stand, and Bloom found herself taken aback by what she saw.

The creature was definitely female, large breasts and muscled body bare for everyone to see. However, Bloom was more focused on her skin which was tinted red and scaled in some areas around her upper arms and legs. Her fists were clenched, but Bloom could still make out her claws - two sharp and deadly sets for her hands and feet (just like her own, Bloom thought, her mind racing with the terrible ideas she was forming). Her eyes were slanted and red just like the man's, and as she shouted Bloom could see the sharp points of fangs protruding from blood red lips. Most fear-inducing of all were her horns: thick, giant protrusions that curved around her ears and came to rest on her shoulders like a ram's. On the center of her head rested an intricate diadem made of black metal dotted with rubies, marking her the leader.

Everyone quieted and quivered at her rage. No doubt she was capable of great destruction. Even Bloom felt a thrill of overwhelming fear just looking at her.

 _I want the child now!_ the woman roared so loudly it shook the hall. _I don't care what it takes, just find her!_

Numerous hulking creatures carrying formidable weapons bowed to the Queen as they took off down the hall, no doubt ready to follow their ruler's orders. As more of them organized to carry out a search, the man stepped up to the foot of the throne and placed a hand on the shoulder of the Queen.

 _I will find her, my love. Our daughter shall be with us soon enough._

Their daughter? Bloom was confused again. They couldn't possibly be talking about her, could they? Her mother was Daphne. She had just watched herself be pushed out of Daphne's body. It was nothing she would ever forget. Yet still, all signs pointed to Bloom being the one they spoke of. After all, the man was the one to get Daphne pregnant. But he had called her a vessel. That was a strange word to use, especially for the woman who carried your child. He made it sound so impersonal, so distant, as if Daphne wasn't relevant at all.

A moment passed and the Queen seemed to calm, her fire dying down to the point where she was once again seated. Bloom could tell she was still ruminating over something that bothered her. She seemed worried, more so than she was willing to openly express. Her lips were pursed, one hand under her chin as she voiced her thoughts.

 _If what you say is true and the child has been gifted the Dragon Flame, then she will be more than me_ , the woman mused, her expression dark as she stared at her departing army. _She will be the most powerful succubus to have ever lived._

 _A perfect queen,_ the man said, and the Queen smiled a thin-lipped smile. _She will rule just as you have ruled: with a strong hand and a firm heart._

 _And I will be there to guide her to greatness,_ she finished, a proud gleam in her eye _. My daughter, my Bloom._

The feeling of being squeezed inside out struck Bloom once more, her stomach jerking upwards like the opposite of the feeling of falling until she was cast back into the present. Her body jolted as she regained her footing in the library, stumbling backwards from the book that slammed itself shut. Bloom keeled over and rested her hands on her thighs, unable to catch her breath. Soon the breaths turned to hiccups, which turned into full-force sobs.

Bloom sank to her knees, collapsing to the ground, unable to carry the terrible weight of all that she learned.

Daphne was right.

She wasn't ready for the truth.


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: Originally this was supposed to be part of the last chapter, but the whole thing just got wayyyyy too long. Great questions were asked in the reviews; I humbly request waiting for an answer, as Bloom's succubus nature will be explored more in-depth fairly soon. Hope you loves enjoy! Make sure to leave me some love on the way out! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 12

A nondescript amount of time later, Bloom found the courage to get out of the school for witches.

Not that she cared if one were to find her and blast her to smithereens. It would probably make her feel better about herself, about her nature that was so complicated in such an unimaginable way. She was still trying to make sense of how she was able to have two mothers - one with whom she shared blood and another who carried her. She was still trying to make sense of what exactly a succubus was, or if there were any way she could outrun her destiny and the scaly, demonic monster she was created to be.

Was there anyone who could teach her? Was there anyone who could remove her nature for good? It wasn't like she could go to anyone with these requests, especially not Faragonda. She was left to her ignorance and with even more questions than she started.

So much of her fate was unknown. Though she knew who she was, she was still ignorant to everything she could be. She didn't even know what being a succubus meant. From her limited knowledge of Earth mythology, she knew they were creatures who fed off of sex and that was about it, though that seemed to encompass most of her problems. She didn't know how she didn't jump to that conclusion sooner. Perhaps she thought that even in the realm of fairies and witches, some things were just too ridiculous. Apparently not.

Bloom's whole life had been a lie. She didn't know what to believe anymore. She thought she knew who she was, but now she was confronted with a part of her that was completely foreign. How was she supposed to reconcile the fact that she was a sex demon? Not only that, but the only surviving heir and princess of a dead planet? Plus she was the bearer of an unbelievably powerful force of nature? It was almost too much to be true, like she was the stereotypical heroine of a fantasy movie.

Bloom couldn't think about this anymore, not without her brain exploding from sheer overload. All she wanted to was to go back to her room, curl up in bed, and pretend that this whole night never happened. She would deal with the consequences in the morning when she was in a better frame of mind.

She took the long way back out of Cloud Tower, dragging her steps, not wanting to go back out and face the real world knowing she was one of the monsters and not one of the good guys. Her mind ran fleetingly back to her parents - her adoptive Earth parents, the people who raised her, who _lied_ to her - and the hunter troll to which they fell prey. Did she now have more in common with that brutish creature than her friends or humans in general? She didn't feel like a creature of nightmares, and she sure as hell didn't look like one...unless some sort of transformation was involved. Bloom shivered, shaking that thought away.

Brandon was right where Bloom left him, leaning up against the levabike hidden discreetly underneath the shade of the trees at the edge of the forest. He was smiling at her, so damn hopeful it made Bloom sick. He was going to want to know all about it. He was going to ask a million questions. Yet something else she was not prepared to handle at the moment.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Brandon asked, curious at first but then concerned once he saw the look on Bloom's face. "What happened in there?"

"I found out the truth," she answered weakly, unable to make words form properly. How was there any way to explain what she truly was?

"Hey, look at me," Brandon encouraged, picking Bloom up by the chin so that she could meet his eyes. "No matter what that book said, it doesn't change the incredibly kind, brave, and beautiful person you are."

He was trying to be romantic. He was trying to be the hero in shining armor, there to make everything better with a compliment and a kiss. He wouldn't be saying any of that if he knew what she knew. He wouldn't say that if she told him what she really was.

"Tell me," Brandon encouraged, pulling her in closer. "Let me share your burden."

It was a horrible idea, but Bloom was so emotionally distraught that she was willing to take a risk. A moment of silence passed as she gathered the strength to say the words, weaker than she thought but clinging onto the hope that Brandon would be there to support her.

"I'm a succubus," Bloom whispered.

"A what?" Brandon asked, slightly breathless as he went rigid in Bloom's arms. She swallowed down the fear of rejection and somehow found the strength to keep talking.

"I am the daughter of Princess Daphne of Sparks, who was seduced by an Incubus in order to carry his child," Bloom recited from what she learned, saying it out loud somehow making it all the more true. "I was raised by the royal family of Sparks before its destruction and my mother used her last bit of power to send me to Earth."

Bloom let out a shaky breath, voicing a glossed over version of what the book had shown her. She had seen more than she ever wanted to know, more than she ever thought was possible. She always knew that her past must not have been easy to explain, but this was insanity. She didn't even know who she was anymore.

"That's why strange things happen to me. That's why I look the way I do. That's why I'm so angry, why my magic and my transformation are so dark, why I killed my boyfriend. My body is a poison!" she cried, nearly hyperventilating. "I'm not meant to be a fairy. I'm meant to be something worse."

Everything was slipping out, her whole life story, but Brandon just pulled her closer, his nose and cheek buried in her hair as he let her sob. The steady rise and fall of his chest was a comfort as she cried, soothing her in a way that she did not know was possible. Bloom envied how he was so calm when she felt like the world was ending, but then again, the calm was deceptive. She had no idea how he was feeling or if he even wanted to associate with her anymore. She had to know what he was thinking. She had to know if she was going to lose everyone she cared about all over again.

"Brandon speak to me," she whispered, voice vulnerable and pleading. "Please. Say something. Anything. Just - "

"I don't care," he said plainly, firmly as he pushed Bloom back and held her shoulders down, staring her right in the eye.

"W-what?" Bloom asked, taken aback.

She was no idiot. It didn't take a brain surgeon to piece together from the underground kingdom and violent nature that being a succubus was not something that most people would take kindly to. Bloom was expecting to be outcast. She was expecting to be hated, spat on, killed even. But Brandon's sword stayed attached and unsheathed at his hip. His blue eyes conveyed nothing but sincerity. Bloom dared to hope that maybe it didn't matter what she was, that there was a chance to continue as if nothing had happened. But there was an intensity to his stare that intimidated her, that set Bloom on edge and made her wary.

"What you are doesn't change how I feel about you."

"How you feel...about me...?"

Now Bloom was confused. It was like the conversation had taken a complete turn and she didn't know why. This was supposed to be about comforting her, not about his feelings. It was kind of insensitive on his part, but he kept staring her down, kept locking his deep blue eyes with her own. Bloom felt unsettled. Something about this just wasn't right, wasn't clicking.

"I love you Bloom," Brandon stated plainly, all seriousness. Not one ounce of him was joking.

Now Bloom knew something was wrong. She knew that Brandon liked her, sure. He had a a stereotypical crush, but love was something far too soon to jump to. Love was a whole other world, one that she never picked up on from him before. He must have believed that love to be true, though. Bloom could see it in his stare, the way he was looking at her as if she were the most beautiful, desirable thing in the universe.

Funny, that was the exact same way Daphne had looked at the stranger...

The realization hit Bloom like a ton of bricks, causing her to slap away Brandon's hands and take two steps back.

Somehow, she was seducing him, but she didn't know how to control it. She didn't even want to seduce him! Was there any way to stop this? Had she always been doing this to Brandon? When did this start? She had no clue - all she knew was that she needed to get away from him before something bad happened.

Then why was she unable to leave?

Her pulse was hammering, though whether it was from fear or thrill she had no clue. It was like her body was getting intense pleasure out of turning Brandon on, like this was some sort of game. Bloom didn't want to feel that way, her brain very much still in panic mode, but her hormones had other ideas. She knew she should be telling Brandon to run, to leave her behind and get to safety, but instead she stood a few feet out of his reach, watching as he took step by deliberate step back into her space. Her entire body was shaking, though she willed herself not to touch him, not to do anything.

Maybe if she stayed still, if she had enough discipline, then he would leave her alone and they could both go their separate ways with no one getting hurt.

That idea was shot to hell when she felt two strong hands, one on her cheek and the other on her neck, followed by the soft, heated press of insistent lips to her own. Bloom, unable to ignore the chemistry between them, engaged in the kiss for one heated moment before she gathered enough strength to push him away.

"Brandon what the hell are you doing?" Bloom demanded, wiping the saliva off her lips, trying to rub his taste away, hating herself for the way her tongue snaked out to lap it up before she could dispose of it all. He tasted like mint and sweat and something indescribably male that made her mouth parched. She was incredibly thirsty, throat parched and his taste the only thing that made it better. How had she not realized how thirsty she was, how absolutely starved she was of energy, how absolutely desperate she was to slake that thirst.

"I need you," he said vehemently, his voice overrun by lust as he untucked his shirt and started to unbuckle his belt.

"We can't! Weren't you listening to a word I just said? I will _kill_ you," Bloom insisted, trying to speak sense to him. This was moving way too far way too fast...but damn if he didn't smell like the most delicious thing she had ever encountered. That scent was intoxicating, her entire being practically demanding him because she was so _thirsty_ , and she no longer knew if it was him she was trying to talk out of this or herself.

Bloom turned away, unable to keep looking at the man without eyeing him like a tall glass of water. She was ravenous, clutching at her throat with both hands as the red crowded into her vision. It was like she was trying to fight off herself, stamping down an unstoppable demon. She was growing heated, using one hand to fan herself. Brandon's scent was overwhelming, like she could drown in it. She was overstimulated by her primal desires, fighting a losing battle. She just wasn't strong enough...

"I _need_ you," Brandon repeated, stronger this time, and pulled off the last remaining vestiges of his clothing.

Bloom salivated at the sight of his cock. It wasn't the longest, but it was fat with an even fatter head that she already knew would fuck her in a way she would feel for days. Her thighs quivered at the thought of being stretched by that gorgeous cock, the heady scent of arousal and desire swarming her senses.

And that was it. She was done, lost to the lust-fueled rage monster that lied under her skin.

She wasted no time stripping out of her own pants and underwear, then running and jumping into Brandon's arms, wrapping herself around him, and grinding down into his crotch as she kissed him passionately. It was a desperation that drove her, a need to have all of him at once. He stepped out of the pants pooled at his ankles, supporting her weight with his arms as she bounced the best she could on top of his dick. Bloom ran her nails down his back, leaving marks that surely bordered more on pain than pleasure. Still, Brandon didn't voice any complaints as she thrust her hips, enjoying the delicious friction of skin on skin.

Bloom lowered herself back down to the ground and dragged Brandon over to his bike. She reclined backwards against the seat and spread her legs as wide as they would go, no questions about what she wanted as she was beckoning him in closer. Brandon followed like a love-sick puppy, pupils blown wide with arousal, erection standing at full attention as he situated himself between her legs. He ran the tip of his cock across her folds, wetting he head with the slick juices already running down her thighs. Bloom sucked in a sharp breath, enjoying the teasing touch but impatient for more.

"Fuck me," she instructed, purring into his ear, lips pulling tantalizingly at the shell.

The first push of his flesh inside of her was euphoric, the incredibly full sensation even more pleasurable than she originally imagined. He was incredibly gentle at first, trying not to hurt her as he set up an even pace. It was hard to keep balance on the levabike, but Bloom's nails dug into his hips, holding him steady as he rocked into her. The bike shook, the leather of the seat rubbing up against her back and her ass, leaving burn marks, but nothing had felt better.

"Harder," she demanded, running her hands over his chest, scratching the skin until she could see pinpricks of red. "Fuck me harder!"

He gave into her demands, slamming his hips up so hard that theirs met with each thrust. Bloom took down every inch of his cock greedily, walls squeezing against him like a vice. Brandon's hands moved to grip the sides of the seat, sweat beading at his forehead, face red with exertion. Bloom moaned loudly, wantonly, letting him know just how much she enjoyed his cock. Her hands started roaming over her own body, one hand reaching up to knead a breast, playing with her sensitized nipples while another hand slithered down to rub at her clit. The nub was already swollen up, practically protruding against her folds. She touched it and her body spasmed, the area overly sensitive from neglect.

"Baby...yes, _oh yes!_ " Bloom purred, eyes staring up hungrily into Brandon's. She loved the desperation that resided there, the wanton lust he held for her. It was thrilling, made her feel powerful.

One particular stroke had him hitting her sweet spot and she screamed, head canting back and spine arching as she howled in delight. Her legs wound around Brandon's waist, holding him close to her while she kept him prisoner. He didn't stop though. He used the new angle to fuck down into her, which Bloom approved of a hundred percent. A heady cloud fogged over Bloom's vision, a reddish haze that she almost thought was tangible. Or maybe it was and she was too focused on fucking Brandon to notice how his touch felt like pure energy that channeled straight into their hips. Brandon's lips latched onto the column of her throat as he worked his mouth over the skin, his pace becoming choppy as he got close to the edge, veins in his temples visibly throbbing from the intense exercise along with the rest of his vasculature.

"Come for me baby," Bloom encouraged, licking her lips as her skin tingled anticipating the thrill of impending orgasm. "Let me feel you come."

Her word was all he needed.

Brandon came hard and warm inside her, his body twitching and jerking as she milked his orgasm for everything he had. After a moment, his thrusts slowed, his movements ceased, and he slumped overtop of Bloom completely limp. She didn't care, pushing his body off of hers so it fell to the ground with a thud. All Bloom did was stretch her abused muscles and bask in the afterglow of absolute pleasure.

She was so full, her body sore but stated in a way that made her feel complete. Her body was practically humming, purring with contentment, the monster inside her pleased with their handiwork. The red haze faded away, the monster settling down back in Bloom's bones, its work done for now. Bloom blinked a few times, her memory hazy as if coming out of a dream. She was disoriented, unsure why she was naked and covered in marks around her thighs and torso.

Then, the memories sharpened into crystal clear focus, and she remembered every single second.

"Oh my God..." Bloom whimpered, finding walking difficult as she hobbled over to the prone and unmoving body on the other side of the bike. "Brandon..."

She collected her underwear and pants on the way, slipping them back on while shame flooded her face. She had just fucked Brandon, a guy she didn't even like that much, in the middle of the woods up against his bike, and now he was...and now he was...

 _This was just like Andy._

That only made the hyperventilating worse, tears pricking in her eyes as the full implications of her actions hit her. Of course, that didn't change the fact that when she went to kneel by him in search of a pulse, she didn't find one. With shaking hands, she flipped Brandon's body over and found a very familiar sight. He was blue and cold, like his body had been drained of all energy. His cock was the darkest part of his entire body, just like Andy's was. This was too similar to be coincidental.

She could never have sex with men. Or sex with anyone. Her body was a weapon that could steal lives, another byproduct of her newfound succubus nature.

Bloom hated herself. Brandon was only trying to help and his repayment was death. He didn't deserve this. He was only trying to be a good friend, only trying to get to know the real her, get her to like him like normal people do. Instead he got stuck in her crosshairs and she took him down with her. Tears welled in her eyes which turned to gut-wrenching sobs the more she allowed herself to cry. She was a terrible horrible person. She was a murderer. She deserved to die.

How was she going to explain this to anyone? How could she tell anyone that Brandon died in the middle of the woods, naked and outside of Cloud Tower. How could she tell anyone that she was the one to murder him...with her own body. She didn't know what the magical outlook on Succubi were, but from what the book said and what she could gather from her few interactions with her powers, she could guess that they were hated, and rightly so.

Her life was over. She couldn't tell anyone about this. She couldn't go back and confess to her friends and the Specialists that she had killed one of their own. They would never forgive her. They would crucify her, outcast her, despise her, and Headmistress Faragonda would lead the crusade. Though she had only known these people for a short bit of time, the idea of being without a home and a family again so quickly was a terrifyingly painful thought. But she also couldn't go to the authorities with this. There was still so much she had yet to accomplish, so much she needed to get done. She needed to be stronger to go save her parents - her adoptive Earth parents, she corrected herself. She couldn't do that from a prison cell.

So, stuck between two impossible decisions, she did the only thing she could do.

She ran.


	14. Chapter 13

A/N: Hello loves! Sorry for the wait! I've been quite busy with other projects so I hope you don't hate me too much. Please enjoy the update, even if it is kinda slow moving! Leave love on your way! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 13

It took hours to get back to Alfea on foot.

Bloom debated for a while about going back and taking Brandon's levabike but there were too many risks involved. She couldn't take the bike and leave the body, especially if he had to check it out from Red Fountain. They would find his body and then track his bike right back to her. That meant she would have to dispose of the body, and she didn't have the stomach to do that. Just looking at his vacant, lifeless eyes was enough to make her vomit. She couldn't bear to be around Brandon for another moment longer. Hence, the running.

The night sky was twinkling with stars by the time Bloom got to the front gates of Alfea. Really, it was a miracle she remembered the way, her subconscious taking over as she ran off of pure adrenaline and fear. She barely had time to struggle with the truth of her existence because this was far more important. She could worry about her fucked up past once she had this murder mess sorted. Unfortunately, there was a nagging feeling that told her that things were only going to get harder and messier from here.

She tried not to dwell on that sense of foreboding as she snuck through the school for fairies, tiptoeing her way down halls and up stairs. It was painful to be so quiet, but she was not in the mood to be caught by administration this late at night. Not that they would immediately suspect her of murder, but Bloom as pretty sure the Headmistress already hated her, and there would be a lot of questions involved as to why Bloom was up so late, dressed in her day clothes, and smelling of sweat and nature. Yeah, that wasn't suspicious at all.

Finally, she reached her apartment, the door swinging open with minimal squeaking. No one came out to crucify her, so she took that as a good sign and shut the door, ready to tuck herself into bed and sleep away all her problems, if she could sleep at all. She felt wired, like her entire body was on edge when she was certain all she should be feeling is exhaustion. After all, she did run fucking miles through the woods.

Inside her room, Flora was fast asleep, face buried into a pillow while she cuddled with a stuffed animal. It was adorable, distracting Bloom for a second as she remembered that The Day of the Rose holiday break was over so the rest of her roommates should be back as well. Then, Bloom tripped over a vine and landed hard on her ass, causing Flora to whimper and toss in her sleep. Bloom cursed herself mentally, carefully disentangling herself and creeping over to her bureau. Fresh clothes were needed desperately, the old dirty ones peeling off her sweaty body like a layer of skin. They definitely were not salvageable, which was sad because Bloom really loved those yellow star jeans. She tossed them in a pile under her bed, out of plain sight until she could properly dispose of them later.

In the shower, Bloom scrubbed her skin mercilessly, trying to get the scent of sex and death off her skin. Dirt and leaves sloughed off her body, turning the water brown. She scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed until her skin was red and raw, the steam from the scalding water rising up above her like a cloud. She wished she could choke on the vapor. It was what she deserved being the shit human being - no, the shit _creature_ \- she was. The shower masked her tears, the sound of the water hitting tile hiding her sobs. She cried with a hand over her mouth until she threw up, and then continued until her eyes dried up and her stomach was empty and all she could do was gasp out dry heaves. Then, she turned off the water and stepped out of the tub, studying her reflection in the mirror.

Her entire life, her parents - adopted parents, she reminded herself bitterly - told her she was gorgeous. _Look at your glowing skin, those bright blue eyes, such fiery hair_ , they would praise while all the school boys tries to bounce quarters off of her abnormally large ass and shoot popcorn down her cleavage. It was such a juxtaposition that she never knew what to think...but now...She was a sex creature. Succubi were meant to seduce, meant to be coveted, to be wanted by all men. It was her birthright to be beautiful, but now she would do anything to be average. All she saw in the mirror was a hideous, blood-stained creature who no one could ever love. Her adopted parents were liars for more reason than one.

Once out of the bathroom, she pulled on her pajamas and went to flop down on her bed. Unfortunately she caught the corner of Flora's desk on her way there and knocked a potted plant over, the ceramic shattering, dirt going everywhere, and the plant itself shouting profanities that would make a sailor blush.

"Bloom..." Flora asked groggily, "What are you doing...? What's going on...?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Bloom apologized, skittering around the room as to avoid bumping into anything else. She would clean the plant up in the morning when she wasn't in such a frazzled state of mind.

"Where've you been...?" Flora yawned, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Library," Bloom said. It wasn't completely a lie. She was at a library, just not Alfea's. "Lost track of time."

"Mmmmm..." Flora hummed, already lowering her head in all its wild-haired glory back down to her pillow. "Just try to be quiet please."

"Sorry," she apologized again, only allowing herself to let out a sigh of relief once Flora's breathing was back to being deep and regulated.

That was too close. She was only grateful that Flora was tired enough not to question much past the basics. If she was lucky, she would wake up early enough to clean up the plant and Flora would chalk this all up to a dream. If she was luckier, she herself would wake up and the last few weeks would all be a bad dream. She would wake up and be in Andy's arms and they would be happy with their normal, boring life in Gardenia far away from fairies and succubi and witches. That was a good plan, Bloom decided as she crawled into bed and pulled up the sheets, completely exhausted.

 _If the universe is listening, don't let me wake up,_ Bloom thought as she started to drift off to sleep.

Then, an alarm pierced the air like a shotgun, making Bloom jump out of her skin. She bolted upright in bed, completely disoriented even though she had barely closed her eyes. It sounded like the sky was crashing down, the ear-splitting sirens making her hearing ring.

"What now?" Flora complained, upset that she was once again woken up from her beauty rest.

"It wasn't me," Bloom said as she raised her hands in innocence.

Then, their door opened and Tecna's head popped in.

"Emergency alarm," she explained, beckoning them out of the room. "Come on, everyone's expected in the dining hall."

"How do you know this?" Bloom asked, slipping her shoes back on her aching feet.

"It was in the Alfea handbook, section twenty-three on emergency protocols. I swear, am I the only one who is prepared?" Tecna asked, baffled by everyone's lack of knowledge.

"Obviously," Bloom said under her breath, letting Flora pass first so she could grab her robe. It was a good thing for that robe too, because the last thing Bloom needed on top of the shit show of tonight was to be distracted by her roommate's flawless body.

As the five girls made their way down the halls, Bloom noted a few obvious changes that had not been there when she had snuck in. The windows that normally let in the sun and moon shine regardless of weather were now hidden behind curtains, doors to the halls to the classrooms which were always open were now closed and locked, and most noticeably was the presence of many men clearly of military status directing the flow of traffic, pushing the students along at a quick pace. They seemed stern and callous, not caring that everyone was tired and confused, only concerned with their end goal of getting everyone to the hall. No one dared stray off track, the unknown men not the kind to be trifled with.

Bloom kept close to her friends the entire way, trailing at the end. She watched as Musa discreetly laced her fingers through Tecna's and leaned on the magenta-haired girl for support. Flora pulled her robe close to her chest, shivering not entirely caused by the cold. Stella seemed to be intrigued by all this chaos, chatting with the girls next to her about what they thought was going on. Bloom herself stayed focused on the course ahead. This was only a speed bump, a distraction from her real problems. She just needed to get this meeting over with so she could go back to bed, get some sleep, and wake up refreshed with new ideas on how to get away with murder. It sounded so much easier said than done.

There was no order as to how the students were to fit in the room, all the fairies grouping together in their cliques and circles, gossiping about what this could possibly be about. There were also Red Fountain guys in the mix, wearing their civilian clothes instead of their usual jumpsuits. They seemed just as confused, if not more so, to be there in the school for fairies. Everyone's opinions thrummed in Bloom's ears, causing the hair on arms to stand on end. There were more unknown men with large pointed spears and swords attached to their hips standing in few-foot intervals, running the entire perimeter of the dining hall. It was unnerving to be surrounded, caged with no way out.

Once the last of the students was in the hall, the double doors shut and Headmistress Faragonda stood, a man with long white hair and a crooked staff seated at her right side with another strong, dark haired bearded man standing behind him, presumably the Headmaster and deputy of Red Fountain as no one questioned their presence. Faragonda looked more grim than usual, more wrinkles on her aged face than before, her hair just a tad whiter. Everyone hushed as she raised her hands to silence the crowd, clearing her throat to deliver her message with devastating clarity.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my solemn duty to inform you that earlier this evening, Prince Sky of Eraklyon was killed."

A collective gasp ran throughout the room. Bloom swallowed thickly. Stella stumbled backward, one hand clutched over her chest while tears streamed from her eyes. Flora held onto Stella as she sobbed, running a hand through the girl's golden hair comfortingly. Bloom felt a pang of sadness upon seeing the sight.

"I was just informed by Headmaster Saladin that his body and his levabike were found by Cloud Tower security just outside of the forest perimeter," the Headmistress continued, her tone full of sorrow and steel. "As of yet, there is no information as to how or why he was killed, but Headmistress Griffin of Cloud Tower is working mercilessly to figure out what Prince Sky was doing so close to her school. All we know is that this was a senseless, unprovoked attack, as he was alone and his weapon unused."

"My money's on a witch," Musa commented under her breath, Tecna pondering the likelihood before nodding in agreement.

Wait...this didn't make sense. The person Faragonda was describing was not Prince Sky, but Brandon.

There was no time to dwell on possibilities, because Headmaster Saladin was gesturing for someone to come forward. A confused murmur ran through the crowd as a brunet young man they all knew to be Prince Sky walked up Headmistress Faragonda and Headmaster Saladin. His gait was heavy, his head bowed in respect as he turned to face the crowd. Even from the distance, Bloom could see he was shaking and his eyes were red-rimmed.

"I am not who you think I am. My real name is Brandon Martin, squire to Prince Sky of Eraklyon," Not-Sky said, his voice heavy with emotion. His gaze was downcast, as if he could not bear to look anyone in the eye and face his failure. "The prince and I switched places at the start of the semester. Our close friends knew about it, but that was all. He wanted to live a normal life without the restrictions of his title, and so I indulged his wishes. Now...I know I should not have. I failed at my duties to protect him and now my prince is dead."

Not-Sky pulled something out of his pocket and held it out in his hand. A moment later, a blue holographic image of the real Sky popped up, the blond dressed in finery, and crown placed upon his head. The entire room gasped then went quiet, absorbing this information, and none was more shocked than Bloom. Immediately, her situation became a thousand times worse, because now she had not only murdered a man, she had murdered a _prince._ There was nowhere the Magical Dimension she could run; an entire planet was after his killer and it was only a matter of time before their infinite resources tracked the clues back to her.

She needed to get the hell out of there. She needed to get the hell off this planet, back to Earth to heal her parents and then she didn't know where. Just keep moving...just keep -

"Prince Sky is...a SQUIRE?" Stella gasped dramatically, like she might faint, a few people turning their heads to watch her spectacle. Of course that would be what she focused on. A man was dead and the only thing she cared about appearances. Then she turned to Bloom and continued, "You've been dating the real Prince Sky this whole time?"

"We weren't - "

"Silence!" Griselda demanded, sending cutting glares their direction from over her glasses frame.

"As I was saying, this is a senseless act of violence that will not be tolerated," Headmistress Faragonda continued, her lips pursed in a thin line as she gestured to the uniformed armed men lining the walls of the room. "These are soldiers of the Eraklyan guard, and they will be a constant presence in Alfea, as well as the rest of Magix, until Prince Sky's killer is brought to justice. Respect them and their rights to be here. Comply to their wishes, and life at Alfea will run smoothly."

"While the Eraklyan guard is searching for the killer, a strict curfew will be put in place for the protection of the rest of Alfea's and Red Fountain's students," Griselda picked up, peering down at her clipboard. "From this moment forward, Magix is under lockdown. No student shall travel alone whether that be across the quad to class or to the restroom. Find a friend and stay with them at all times. There shall be no trips into the city, no excursions off planet - even to visit family. If you no longer feel safe at your respective schools and wish to return home for the rest of the semester, you must first schedule an appointment with the administration at your earliest convenience."

"That being said, classes will continue as normal," Headmistress Faragona finished, her hands tucked militarily behind her back. "This school shall not shut down just because someone wishes to break our spirit. We must show the Magical Dimension that the young men and women trained at our fine institutions will not bend to the will of evil."

Deafening silence was broken with a round of applause, everyone united by a common enemy.

Bloom was practically hyperventilating.

What happened if she needed to feed again? She had no idea how often Succubi got hungry, and there would be no hiding what she did if she left a trail of bodies behind. Someone would be bound to notice that everyone she was around tended to die. Plus, it wasn't like she could leave campus to do it either. She would be forced to pick someone inside Alfea, and all she could think about was Flora's lips on hers with legs spread open and _wanting..._

Bloom actually pinched herself, trying to stop her train of thought before she actually went and killed someone else.

"If any student from either school knows anything that may help this investigation, we implore you to come forward now," Headmistress Faragonda decreed. "Time is of the essence, and the more we waste, the closer another one of our own is to becoming a victim."

Unsurprisingly, no one stepped forward. It wasn't in anyone's first instinct to put themselves on display, and it seemed that no one was eager to start a witch hunt (no pun intended). All it took was one person to point at someone they didn't like and this plan would derail fast. There were too many things that could go wrong, too many loose canons, and every cell in Bloom's body screamed to seize the first chance to get the hell out of dodge.

"My office is always open. Please, if anyone needs to talk, make use of it immediately," Headmistress Faragonda concluded, visibly disappointed no one had come forth. She sat back down and folded her hands primly in her lap, conversing with Headmaster Saladin privately.

"Everyone back to your rooms!" Griselda commanded, clapping her hands twice to spur people along.

"Specialists, with me!" the bearded man ordered, his voice gruff and low.

Everyone began moving, and through the shifting crowd, Stella pushed her way to where Brandon was leaning up against a wall. He looked even worse close up, hair messy and greasy, like he'd been pulling at it. The bags under his eyes stained like bruises, contrasting against the red of his corneas. He looked like he'd had a rough night, and Bloom really couldn't blame him. He'd lost someone close to him and had been beating himself up every minute since he got the news. Bloom hung back while the rest of the girls went back to the dorm room. She was Stella's default buddy after all; couldn't leave her alone even if the guilt of being so close to the real Brandon after what she'd done to Sky was threatening to eat her alive.

"How could you do this to me?" Stella demanded, her eyes watery. "How dare you make me fall for you!"

"I didn't mean to, promise," the real Brandon assured. He went to put his arm around Stella but she took a step back, a clear rejection that only hurt him further. "Please, I just lost my best friend. I can't lose you too."

"You lied to me!" Stella accused, the first few tears falling down her red cheeks. "I am the Princess of Solaria. Do you know what that means? I have to marry a Prince - I can't be seen consorting with commoners, especially not a squire."

"I'm not even that anymore," Brandon admitted, looking ashamed. "I failed in my duties to protect Prince Sky, and now the unthinkable has happened and the King and Queen are blaming me. They're saying that I went along with the switch out of selfish reasons and stripped me of my position. They're pulling me from Red Fountain. When I return to Eraklyon I'll be arrested, imprisoned for treason, or worse."

Brandon didn't have to continue for them to fill in the blanks. The terror in his eyes was enough.

"What do you expect me to do about it?" Stella asked indignantly.

"Help me," he pleaded. "I know I hurt you but I still care about you, and I know you care about me."

His eyes were so wide, so vulnerable it hurt. He was a desperate man searching for a way out of the mess Bloom had made, looking for salvation in the girl he loved. If only things could work out in his favor, it would save Bloom the smallest bit of guilt. She ruined everything...why did she have to ruin _everything_?

"I'm sorry Sk-Brandon," Stella corrected, sniffling as she tried to regain strength. "But I don't even know who you are anymore."

Stella didn't even wait to hear what Brandon had to say, turning around and running out of the hall. Bloom ran after her, trying not to think about the implications of her rejection. She caught up to Stella at the stairs, the blonde hunched over and breathing shakily. Bloom ran a hand down Stella's back comfortingly.

"Don't you think that was a little harsh?" Bloom asked, looking back pityingly at Brandon who had sunk to the ground, head between both knees as he contemplated the rest of his short life.

"A prince is dead and an entire planet is calling for blood. I'm not sticking my neck and Solaria's out for the witless squire who was supposed to prevent this type of thing from happening," Stella said coldly, not at all like her usual chipper self.

They picked up the pace, hurrying down the halls to get back to their dorm before anyone caught them and punished them for breaking curfew already. Stella was nearly running, trying her hardest to get away from Bloom, but Bloom wouldn't have it.

"But you love him?" she tried, knowing that, despite their lovey-dovey scenes, some of that show was genuine. Stella lit up around Brandon, smiled wider, laughed more.

"Please, love? I barely knew him," Stella scoffed, though the pain in her amber eyes was enough to give her away. "Besides, I'm going to be a queen one day and make decisions like this all the time. I should at least act like it."

She let herself into the dorm, making a beeline straight for her room with Bloom hot on her heels.

"But still - "

"Just shut up, will you Bloom?" Stella demanded, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Don't pretend like you care. You hated the two of us together anyway, so why don't you go and bother someone else and leave me alone."

Bloom was frozen still, not expecting such cruelty to come from Stella who, despite her cattiness, was always smiling and bright. She entered her room and slammed her door shut in Bloom's face, the distinct click of a lock making her point crystal clear. Bloom sighed and walked away, knowing that Stella was a lost cause. She didn't want to be helped, and so there was no helping her.

In the common area, everyone had gone their separate ways. Bloom could hear the shower running in her and Flora's room, and Musa was playing a sad and mournful dirge on her flute, the notes wafting hauntingly through the apartment. Only Tecna was out, reclining on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, sipping serenely on a cup of steaming tea.

"How is she?" Tecna asked, eyeing Stella's door with mild intrigue.

"You just saw. She's heartbroken," Bloom said sitting on the couch. "She really liked this guy and now he's going back to his home planet to die."

"Such is life, I suppose," Tecna sighed as she sipped on her tea. "How are you holding up?"

"Me? I'm fine."

"You look rattled."

"Yeah, the guy who was into me suddenly dies - that's weird and only _slightly_ unnerving," Bloom said, trying to be casual about the whole thing when really she was freaked out beyond belief. She wished everyone would just drop it, though she knew with everything going on this was only the beginning. "It almost feels like bad karma, you know? My first and only boyfriend died suddenly, no explanation, and now the prince..."

"That is, what you said, _bad karma_ ," Tecna mused, her eyes studying Bloom intently. "Do you ever think it is more than karma?"

"No..." Bloom trailed off, feeling unnerved. "Why would you say that?"

"Just a thought," Tecna dismissed, averting her gaze.

Bloom felt uncomfortable with this turn in conversation. Tecna's gaze seemed a little too suspicious, a little too knowing for Bloom's liking. So, she got up and smoothed her pajamas, looking out the window to see the first rays of sunlight creeping over the horizon.

"I'm going to go catch as much sleep as I can before class," Bloom said, eager to leave.

"By all means," Tecna said, going back to her tea. "Pleasant dreams."

Bloom gave a small quirk of her lips, walking quickly over to her room, the feeling of Tecna's eyes following her the entire way.

Needless to say, there were no sweet dreams. Only nightmares.


	15. Chapter 14

A/N: Hello loves! Things get pretty dire for Bloom in this chapter! Is her secret safe? Probably not...anyway, hope you enjoy the update! Remember to leave some love on the way out :) XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 14

Palladium's class seemed to drag, the elf talking about nothing particularly interesting for the longest hour of Bloom's life.

Stella was in that class, though she had opted to sit in the back of the room in the corner where she could pout without being noticed, the blonde not even giving Bloom a simple hello as she trudged to her seat. The sun fairy, despite her insistence otherwise, was terribly upset about the Brandon situation. She had been up at the crack of dawn to watch the Eraklyan ship take him away, watching from their apartment balcony as the craft departed from Magix airspace. Bloom wanted to say something, but she was afraid of making matters worse. Not that Stella knew that she was the one who killed Sky, but Stella was so touchy that even the slightest disturbance would set her off. It was best to leave her alone, even if it meant that the apartment atmosphere had an added layer of tension.

When class finally let out, Stella gathered her things as quickly as she could and practically ran out the door, leaving Bloom behind to go back to their rooms by herself. Bloom sighed, trying not to let Stella's behavior get to her. Even though keeping distance was what Stella needed, it was hard for Bloom to comply. Despite their differing personalities and short time together, Bloom had actually come to care about Stella; she considered her a friend, and those were something Bloom had in short supply.

Bloom tried her best to go about her day-to-day routine, but the constant paranoia surrounding Sky's death along with the presence of Eraklyan soldiers had set the entire planet on edge. No one knew how to handle a military occupation; according to Tecna, the last major interplanetary war had been the invasion of the Ancestral Witches, but that had been many years ago. Most people had only ever known peace in their lives. Now, the presence of aggression was upsetting, setting everyone on edge.

As she walked down the halls, she felt eyes following her, watching her. She knew that she shouldn't be worried, that everyone was watching everyone just in case something suspicious happened, but the niggling fear that her true nature was going to be exposed was at the forefront of her mind. She found herself looking behind her, checking to see if she had sprouted a tail or if her hands had warped into claws without her knowing. She hated all this nervous energy buzzing in the air; it clouded her mind, made her magic jump under her skin which was strange because before she read the book her magic had been all but dormant except during times of extreme rage. Now, it was the opposite: strong to the point of being unbearable, like she had to focus all her energy into making sure she didn't burn the whole place down in a fiery storm. Another reason why she hated the distraction of having to worry about what everyone else thought.

When she got to the room, Stella had already locked herself inside her room. It wasn't surprising at all, and all Bloom did was sigh and drop her bag off on a chair in the common space. Tecna was in common space as well, sipping on her usual cup of tea while music filtered in from she and Musa's joint room. Music, Bloom had come to discover, was Musa's version of therapy. No doubt she was working through her own frustrations and feelings about the Sky situation through the conflicting sounding beats flowing through the space. The only one missing was Flora, their door open though there was no nature fairy inside.

"Where's Flora?" Bloom asked.

"Eraklyan soldiers pulled her out of transformations class for questioning," Tecna replied grimly.

"But why? She's the sweetest person I know. I don't think she could kill a fly."

"Yes, but they don't know that," Tecna agreed darkly, taking a sip from her cup of tea. "Unfortunately these men are in search of a succubus, and to the male mind, succubi are equivalent to clear skin, bright smiles, and large breasts, all of which Flora possesses."

"That's shitty," Bloom muttered, her panic growing. How did they figure out it was a succubus already? It had only been one day! "How do you know they're looking for a succubus?"

"I heard a few of the guards talking about it as I waked by," Tecna explained. "I was curious so I tapped into Eraklyan communications. Apparently there were no outward wounds or marks that would indicate an attack; in fact his body was in total working order. That limits the cause of death down dramatically, and the coroner said the greying appearance of the corpse combined with the evidence of recent ejaculation and protruding veins along the genital region align precisely with a succubus attack. The only bizarre thing is that succubi are normally reclusive creatures, confined to their home planet. Very rarely do they go seeking partners outside of their own species."

"So this kind of thing isn't common?"

"No, not at all," Tecna confirmed. "According to record, the last succubus attack on Magix was well over a hundred years ago."

"How did they stop it?" Bloom asked, aware that she was starting to sound desperate and suspicious but she needed to know all she could.

Tecna eyed Bloom curiously, crossing one leg over the other before answering, "When the authorities finally managed to capture the creature, they bound her in shackles and cut off her head."

"That's fucked up," Bloom muttered, subconsciously rubbing at her own neck to find it thankfully attached to the rest of her body.

"Succubi are known not only as sexual predators, but as resilient healers," Tecna said, providing some interesting information that Bloom was not yet aware of. "Bullets or charms or curses have no guaranteed effect. The only way to stop a succubus, is to destroy it completely."

"You seem to know a lot," Bloom commented. Tecna knew more than Bloom did about her own race, though Bloom did have the excuse of ignorance.

"I've been doing some research in my spare time. Best to know what we are up against," Tecna sighed, her words mirroring the ones she spoke last night, and Bloom wondered if the girl was capable of true empathy or if brushing off hardships was one of her strong suits. "I am surprised they have yet to question you Bloom, given your physical profile."

"Yeah..." Bloom agreed warily. "Haven't gotten to me yet I guess."

"I would prepare yourself then," Tecna advised. "I'm sure it won't be long."

Bloom didn't like how sure Tecna sounded, how skeptical her large green-blue eyes kept analyzing every square inch of her body. It was clear that Tecna was suspicious of her and that she had been for a while, that the technology expert was catching on to what Bloom really was. She was clever; she was quick and observant as well. While everyone was desperate to be innocent she was busy shoving emotion aside to figure out the truth. Bloom would have admired that if the girl's digging didn't point straight to her.

Bloom couldn't point Tecna down the wrong path or sway her eye or she risked further incriminating herself, yet if she kept playing innocent the truth was bound to be uncovered sooner rather than later. A dark thought crowded the corner of her mind, the beast whispering for Bloom to sink her claw's into Tecna's pretty neck and rip out her jugular. _That would clear up the problem_...except there would be another body and no way to hide it. Plus, Tecna was her _friend_. She wasn't going to murder someone so close to home.

"I'm gonna go...prepare then..." Bloom said, needing to get out of the room as quickly as possible before even more damaging things came up.

Tecna watched her the entire way to her room. It made the beast rankle at the nerve; how dare some insolent fairy cast such a disapproving gaze towards a superior being? But those were the beast's thoughts, not hers. Her only thought was how she was going to make a story that covered her tracks. She had no one to vouch for her placement the night of Sky's death, no one who knew her well enough to speak to her character. She was an outsider, a weirdo even to the magical world, and that automatically marked her as a target. Pile on the circumstances surrounding the murder and even if she wasn't at fault, some would still find a way to pin it on her.

Bloom forced herself to take long, calming breaths. She had already started to spread sparks, tiny embers flaking from her palms as she paced the space back and forth. The plants were anxious; Bloom could hear their idle chatter, wondering what had gotten her in such a tizzy. She wished they would just shut up and give her reprieve to think.

Not long after Bloom had shut herself into her room, a commotion came from outside. Her first instinct was to go out and see what it was, but she froze as her hand hovered over the knob. Instead, she pressed her ear up to the door, curious as to what they would say without her there. She knew it was human nature to talk about that which one could not see, and with her conveniently out of the room, she would know how much Tecna really knew and if her friends were really her friends at all.

"Flo, how was it?" Musa asked, her voice raspy from hours of play.

"Horrible!" Flora lamented. "The guards dragged me into this small room in front of the Headmistress and Griselda and interrogated me like I was some criminal. They wouldn't let me leave until they'd made me drink truth serum."

"That's practically illegal!" Musa protested, outraged. There was muffled movement and some sobbing, which made Bloom believe that Musa had moved over to comfort Flora. "They can't do that, can they?"

"In times of great distress, those in power can grant authorities marshal law," Tecna's voice droned on. "Prince Sky's murder must be severe enough that certain statutes regarding individual rights are not in effect."

"That's not fair! So what if I have a large chest - that makes me a murderer? I'm a virgin for Dragon's sake!" Flora cried. "I wouldn't know what to do even if I were a succubus!"

For some unknown reason, Bloom's heart sped up at those words. Flora was a virgin, untouched by anyone...except her. The implications made Bloom's skin prickle, a sudden need to ravage her roommate spreading through her system like wildfire.

"Looks can be deceiving," Tecna pointed out, the frown that had been growing ever since the conversation started finally breaking. "Have any of you ever been curious about Bloom's heritage?"

There it was - the loaded question. Bloom was surprised it took Tecna this long to bring it up.

"She's from Earth, whoop de doo," Stella replied blearily, her presence in the room coming as a surprise as Bloom had not heard her door open.

"That's a weird question Tec," Musa said, eyebrows raised in confusion. "Why?"

"The Eraklyan guard is looking for a succubus, a profile for which Bloom fits. Compile that with the little information we know about her other than that she is from Earth - a notoriously dead planet magically-speaking - the darkness of her transformation, and the strange sets of coincidences that have happened since her arrival and I start to wonder..."

"You think that she is the succubus that killed Prince Sky?" Musa asked for clarification, clearly skeptical.

"That is my theory, yes."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Musa scoffed, and Bloom gained a newfound respect for her roommate. At least someone had her back. "I think we would know if we were living with a succubus."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Stella mused darkly. She was quick to turn on Bloom, something that both came as a surprise and hurt. "I mean, look at her. Bloom's body is perfect, like _abnormally_ perfect. I can't find one flaw."

"All that means is that you're jealous," Musa countered, and Bloom was sure that Stella's face was priceless. "Face it, we have no real proof."

"No, but we have enough speculation to go to the Headmistress," Tecna said.

"There's something else," Flora chimed in quietly before bickering between the two lovers could ensue. "The night of Sky's death, Bloom came back to the room really late. I heard her sneaking around."

"You're just telling us this now?" Stella accused.

"I didn't think it was that important!" Flora cried. "She told me she was at the library and I had no reason not to trust her."

"What changed your mind?"

"When she was rummaging around she knocked over one of my plants, and earlier when I went to clean it up, I found a pile of clothes under her bed," Flora said, and Bloom silently cursed herself for forgetting to clean the mess up sooner like she had originally intended. "They were torn and covered in dirt so I used my powers to locate where it was from, thinking it was from the pot she knocked over, and..."

"And what Flo?" Musa asked, on the edge of her seat.

"The dirt is normally found at the base of the pine trees grown in the forest just outside of Cloud Tower."

Silence fell upon the group. Bloom barely found the strength to breathe lest she miss something crucial.

"The timing adds up," Tecna concluded in a matter-of-fact tone.

"That's not all," Flora practically whispered, like she was scared and ashamed. "I think Bloom has been...doing _things_ to me."

"Things?" Stella asked, confused. "You're going to need to be more specific."

"I keep having this reoccurring dream and in it, Bloom is there and I..." Flora trailed off, swallowing thickly. "And I'm doing things to her... _sexual_ things...except it doesn't' feel like a dream. It feels so _real_..."

Flora had to stop herself, her voice taking on a choked, watery quality. Bloom felt horribly for making Flora feel so helpless, but that was secondary to the amount of panic she was feeling for herself.

"That does it," Tecna announced, the creaking of a chair signaling that she had stood up. "I'm going to alert the Headmistress."

"Where is Bloom now?" Musa asked.

"In her room," Tecna replied, her voice growing further away as she headed towards the exit. "You three watch the door. So long as she stays inside there is no chance of her getting away before the guards come to question her."

"This is crazy..." Stella trailed off, something bitter in her tone that Bloom did not like. Who knew what the blonde was thinking, what terrible thoughts were running through her mind. Was she cursing rescuing Bloom from the hunter troll? Or was she wishing she had been left alone during the ogre attack to avoid their meeting altogether? Bloom had wished that not too long ago, before she had grown comfortable at Alfea. Now, the thought of her newfound friends wishing they never met just caused her pain.

"Crazy, yes. But it's the right thing to do," Tecna assured. "I'll be back shortly. Contact me if anything else happens."

There were no more voices, just the sound of muted scuffling as the door shut and left the other three in the common space. Only then did Bloom let herself panic. She stepped away from the door as if it had burned her, ears ringing with a devastating truth: she was in trouble. Tecna was on her way to gather the Eraklyan guard who would no doubt drag her out of the room and interrogate her far more harshly than they had Flora. Then, once they pried the truth from her lips using the most aggressive tactics, they would tie her down, ship her to Eraklyon, and behead her for the entire planet to see. There would be no more friends, no more happy days, no more learning magic to heal her parents. Everything would be lost, again.

She could not let that happen. She did not claw her way back from the bottom, suffer tragedy after tragedy only to be stopped now. She had a mission, a promise made to her parents on Earth. She would live to see them up and moving again, see Vanessa running her flower shop and Mike in his fire fighting uniform, and nothing was going to get in her way. Those thoughts strengthened her resolve, the fire licking under her skin pitching to a simmer as she channeled her panic into fierce determination.

One thing was crystal clear.

Bloom needed to leave. Tonight.


	16. Chapter 15

A/N: Quick update, but I felt inspired! Hope you loves enjoy, and please leave me some reviews! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 15

As soon as Tecna left, Bloom went off into a frenzy.

She ran around the dorm room, throwing all of her meager possessions into her suitcase. Kiko bounced nervously around her feet, sensing the danger in the air. In all the conundrum, Bloom had forgotten she had brought her bunny along to Alfea with her. Bloom desperately wanted to take the bunny with her, but she knew he would only be a liability. It wasn't safe for her to put his life in danger, so she would have to leave him behind. She doubted that her roommates would punish her pet for her actions; Flora seemed sweet enough to care for him while Bloom was away. Bloom could only hope Kiko would understand. The bunny was so attached to her, and to leave another piece of her normal life behind seemed almost unbearable, though the thought of Kiko getting caught in the crossfire was even worse.

The clothes on her body weren't the best for traveling, but there wasn't much she could do about that. The crop top and ruffled skirt with matching boots would have to do. Rummaging through Flora's possessions, she came across a long jacket. It thankfully was no pink, but beige in color so that it would not stand out and possessed a large enough collar to disguise some of her face once she got into Magix City. Bloom didn't have time to think about the fact that she was stealing on top of all the other crimes she had committed. Besides, this one was petty compared to cold blooded murder. Surely Flora wouldn't think too much of a missing coat with everything else going on.

The sun was starting to set by the time Bloom was ready. She hadn't been packing for long, but she pushed her luck the longer she stayed around. Tecna would be back any minute with the guard; Bloom needed to act now.

Opening up the window, Bloom surveyed her exit route. It was about a three story drop around the back of the school. There were shrubs that would disguise her fall, and break it if her wings failed her. From there it was a straight shot into the woods to the city. Once in the city, she would find someone to take her off planet. The cost wasn't an issue, and there was bound to be someone shady enough to break the rules. If not, she would just have to lay low for awhile until an opportunity presented itself. Even though it wasn't the best plan, any place was better than Alfea.

The front door jostled, multiple masculine voices filling the common space. Bloom's heart started pounding in her chest as she picked up her suitcase opened the window. She did a quick, cursory check to see if anyone was around before perching in the window frame and throwing herself out. Thankfully her magic was in working order and her descent was slowed so that her feet gently touched the ground. She waved her hand and resealed the window, Kiko's sad little face pressed up against the glass. She blew her bunny a kiss and took off.

She was barely into the woods when she heard alarm bells blare, the Alfea College for Fairies suddenly on high alert. Her absence had been detected; they knew she was on the run. It was only a matter of minutes before they sent the guard and dogs after her. She needed to move faster.

Summoning her power, Bloom gave into the beast, her vision running red as she transformed into her fairy form. With her wings, she was able to move at five times the speed, greenery blurring past her. The sound of engines droned from high above - hovercraft scanning the airspace for her, forcing Bloom to stay low to the ground. It was inconvenient as well as maddening, dodging spotlights from the ships as well as navigating towards Magix. She could barely remember the path the busses took on a good day. Complied with all this stress and the intensity was overwhelming.

Thankfully the trees cleared and the skyscrapers of Magix came into view. Unfortunately, the only thing that stood between her and the sanctuary of the city was a wide open field. It wasn't that long, maybe a hundred feet, but long enough that it would make her a sitting duck for the hovercraft. But she had to risk it. If she kept hesitating, the dogs and guards on bikes would catch up to her in no time.

Swallowing, Bloom closed her eyes and dashed out from the trees.

Immediately, she took on heavy fire. The hovercraft fixed their lights on her with a blinding intensity, phasers firing from all directions. Bloom tried her best to conjure a shield, but the force of impact knocked her down to the ground. She was forced to continue on foot, sprinting towards the building as her fairy form flickered.

 _No, don't fail me now!_ She pleaded with her magic, willing the beast to protect her just a little while longer. The trees were so close, just a few more feet away! Until a blast from behind knocked her off her feet and sent her sprawling across the grass.

 **We have you surrounded!** a robotic voice came over the intercom, a trio of ships blocking her in at all sides, guns trained on with their little red dots focused on her chest. **Surrender now or be exterminated!**

The beast didn't like that word _exterminated_. In fact, it was just the kind of talk Bloom needed to get the beast riled up.

She stood her ground, picking herself up and brushing off the dirt. Her vision was blood red, already picking out her targets. Men came from the woods, parking their levabikes and running towards her on foot, golden dogs snapping at their heels, ready to be set loose. The beast purred happily, ready to bathe in their blood.

The hovercraft fired first, unleashed their full fury upon her as they tore up the space near her feet. Trees splintered and shattered. Dirt flew up in chunks, debris polluting the air in a layer of thick dust. But nothing touched Bloom, the strength of her shield now multiplied from the strength of the beast. Her two parts were working in harmony for one express purpose: survive.

When the attack ceased, it was her turn to lash out.

Balls of fire grew in her hands, and she threw them when they were big enough to do damage. She created a perimeter of fire, protecting herself in a ring that incinerated everything it touched. Some guards learned that the hard way, flames licking up their uniforms as they were swallowed whole. Still, some had the audacity to attack, sending bombs and blasts down to stop her. Fire balls were the only attack she knew instinctively, and though they were effective against the ground, they had minimal effect on the ships in the air.

Her body rose in the air as she gave herself up to the power, letting the beast take control. Gathering her last bits of rage, she summoned a dragon made of pure fire, its cry mimicking her own as she set it loose on the hovercraft. The dragon tore into the sides of the ships, its flames infiltrating every available crack until all three exploded like fireworks, shards of flaming metal and man raining down upon the space as it took out any remaining hostiles on the ground.

If only that were enough.

Off in the distance, she could hear the hum of more engines, more troops on their way and Bloom was reminded that it wasn't just these men but the entire planet of Eraklyon that was after her. She did not have the strength to fight off a military single handedly, retransforming as her last bits of magic were used up, and so she was forced back into running.

The city was close now, the last bit of once-meticulously-landscaped trees depositing her right on the outskirts of Magix. She wound down the streets, keeping ahead from the heavy steps that were close behind her. She made sure to keep her collar up, the burned edges of the coat snapping at her ankles. It was maddening, her ears hearing shouts and orders from all directions. Nothing felt safe. Briefly, she thought of ducking into a building, but everyone was so paranoid that the first person who saw her in her distraught, crispy state would call the authorities.

So she kept going. She kept running and winding even though her lungs burned from the exertion and her legs threatened to give out from under her. She kept running until the voices sounded distant and the city got rougher. She was in witch district, that much she could gather from the dingy cauldron shops and the names of cafés such as _Witches Brew_. This was dangerous territory for her on a good day; on a bad day, there was no telling what or who she would run into.

"Well well well, if it isn't the little Earth girl," came a familiar, chilling voice from the other end of the alley.

Bloom swiveled to find the ice witch flanked by her sisters standing menacingly at the mouth of the alley, blocking off her route of escape. They had transformed, dark leather suits blending in with the evening shadows, all six eyes focused intently on her.

"I don't want to fight you," Bloom implored, hoping it would be enough to ward the witches off. She was exhausted and had no intentions of getting in their way or stopping whatever horrible thing they were off to do this late at night. But the longer they stayed in the alley, the more Bloom got the feeling that the horrible thing they were going to do pertained to her.

"You don't, but we do!" Stormy shouted gleefully.

The witch raised her arms in a familiar crossing motion that signified the conjuring of a twister. Soon, the wind in the confined space began twisting into a vortex, the grey mass spinning towards Bloom at breakneck speed. Bloom was too slow to outrun the tornado, getting caught up in its funnel as it spun her around and spat her out across the street. She felt bruises growing where her back skid across the ground, burning raw. She stood up on shaky legs, her boots catching on cracks in the concrete.

"Please, just stop," she begged, hating how far she had fallen to be groveling with these terrible witches. "You'll draw attention."

"What's the matter?" Stormy simpered, adopting a baby voice as she taunted, "scared wittle gurl is gonna run away?"

Bloom backed away from Stormy whose arms were already poised to send another twister, but there was nowhere to go. Her back hit a wall - not a fence or something she could push out of the way - but a wall. Bloom was effectively trapped; if the witches wanted to kill her and leave her body in the street for the Eraklyan guard to find, they had the power to.

"Easy Stormy," another voice said as a pale hand was placed firmly on her shoulder. Icy stepped around her sister, making her the new center of attention, not that it brought Bloom any comfort that her attacker had been exchanged for one that was even more brutal. "You really seem to be in a bind, don't you little fairy?"

"Stop calling me that?" Bloom hissed.

"Calling you what? Little?" Icy continued, blue eyes mercilessly mocking.

" _Fairy_."

She had hated that name before, but now she hated it more since she knew that she wasn't a fairy at all. It felt like a lie, a dirty lie that stuck to her skin and wouldn't come off. Fairy was not what she was, and now it was only a reminder of the deception she had unknowingly played to all her friends.

"Oh this is good! Has she gone to the dark side?" Darcy taunted, evil laughter lacing her voice. "Got a taste and can't go back to being a goody-two-shoes?"

"Just leave me alone," Bloom shouted.

What the hell did they want from her? Did they track her down just kick her where it hurt most and make her feel like shit? Didn't they have better things to do than torment underclassmen? Still, they did not listen; honestly, Bloom wasn't surprised. They never gave up easily nor did they follow directions. They were inconsiderate bitches who insisted on reveling in her pain and hovering near her while she wallowed in her misery.

"It seems as though you're a wanted woman," Icy stated, not concerned with the requests of a fairy who could barely stand her own in a fight. "Your face is plastered all over Magix. So tell me... what's keeping us from kicking your pathetic loser ass and collecting the reward?"

"I'm not so easily beaten," Bloom warned, the fire of the beast demanding to be released, to show these witches just how dangerous she could be. If they knew...if they only knew what she was capable of.

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Icy indulged. "After all, I hear you've been doing some reading in the restricted section."

Bloom was dumbstruck. There was no denying what Icy was implying, her words too precise and delivered in far too callous a manner to mean anything else.

"How do you - "

"Please," Darcy scoffed, rolling her eyes as if Bloom were an idiot. "Who do you think led you to that book?"

Again, Bloom was stunned. She had no idea how to feel, no idea what to think. On one hand, the witches could have cursed the book, shown her something horrible about her past that would have turned her against her friends and made her into a pariah. They were evil enough that she would not put such treachery past them. But on the other hand, there was too much pointing to the book being truth for it to be coincidence. There were things in that book, facts about her heritage that were too wild to just make up. So they wanted her to see the truth, but that begged the question:

"Why?"

"Because I believe we can help each other," Icy replied, crowding Bloom's space as her voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "Since I'm feeling generous, I'll offer you in exchange."

"I don't have anything."

"On the contrary, Bloom, you do," Icy insisted, lowering herself so that she was nearly nose to nose with her, blue eyes piercing as she stated what she wanted. "The Dragon Flame."

"The what?" Bloom spluttered. "That's just a myth!"

These witches...they knew too much. Everyone seemed to know too much and Bloom had no idea what to do about it or who to trust. It seemed like everyone was against her or trying to use her for something. This magical world had not been as much of a safe haven as it seemed. It was becoming clear that even if she had not killed the prince and ended up in this situation, sooner or later, the witches would have put her in one. They wanted the Dragon Flame, something that very few knew still existed and the one thing that could summon the army written on the pages of their spell books Bloom had procured when the girls had stolen back Stella's ring.

"You and I both know that it's more than a myth," Icy tutted, a single finger digging into her chest right over her heart. "You have it, deep inside your heart and if you hand it over to us, we will arrange safe passage anywhere you want."

"How? The curfew..."

"Witches have their ways," Icy dismissed, tired of Bloom's stalling. "Now, do we have a deal?"

"You can send me home?" Bloom asked under her breath as if she could not believe it. All she wanted to do was go back to Gardenia and crash on her couch, to fall asleep in her own bed and wake up only to have this all be one bad dream. But the price was steep. She knew that if she handed over the Dragon Flame, terrible things would happen to Magix and possibly the rest of the Magical Dimension.

 _What has the Magical Dimension ever done for you?_ the beast snarled. Her friends had all but turned their backs, the Headmistress never liked her and liked her even less once she transformed, her Earth parents were still injured and she was no closer to knowing how to help them, and magic was the reason she was in this situation in the first place. She should have _no_ loyalties to this horrible place. Besides, it wasn't like she needed the Dragon Flame as a succubus. Apparently her kind had plenty of natural power that would be far easier to control.

"If that's where you want to go."

Voices came from a few blocks away. They were closing in on her. If she waited any longer, she would be caught and all of this would be for naught. The allure of home was too much to pass up. In haste, Bloom shook her head in consent. Whatever the witches wanted to do with the Dragon Flame was up to them. So long as they got her the hell out of dodge before they did it, she couldn't care less.

"Perfect!" Icy exclaimed with glee. "Now hold still, this may hurt."

Before Bloom could react, Darcy had levitated her body above the ground, her eyes glowing a solid purple as ropes of pure energy wound around Bloom's arms. They were all chanting, ominous words darkening the space as three delicate yet sinister looking crystals appeared out of thin air. The crystals created a triangle, a network of pure energy crackling between them as they moved to hover above Bloom. The triangle grew larger and hotter, creating a vacuum that made Bloom's body arch towards it. Even when she could no longer move due to her bindings, it felt like her heart was still lurching out of her chest until something actually _did_ come out of her chest.

It burned, white hot pain searing through her chest and down her abdomen. She wanted to scream but refrained. All this magic was bound to have attracted attention. The screams of a wanted fugitive on top of that would not bode well. Instead, she watched in horrific fascination as a ball of fire in the shape of a heart hovered in front of her, the living embodiment of magic flickering wildly as it tried to return to its rightful master. Instead, it was siphoned into the crystals, bringing the energy to all new heights.

A flash of white light blinded Bloom temporarily. When her vision cleared the crystals were gone, and so was the flame. By the way the witches were smirking, auras of power radiating from their bodies, she could only assume that the transfer worked and the Dragon Flame had been split three ways. Despite her desperation, Bloom couldn't help but think she made a terrible mistake.

"You got what you wanted!" Bloom shouted, feeling colder and colder since parting with the flame, as if the very thing that warmed her soul had been ripped away. "Now keep up your end of the deal!"

"Of course," Icy purred, "Sisters, lend me your strength."

Stormy and Darcy converged their powers, pink and purple light leaving their bodies to mingle with Icy's blue. Together they were strong enough to wrench open a small portal, blue edges swirling unevenly.

"This will take you home, though I would hurry if I were you," Icy encouraged, studying her nails. "It won't stay open for long."

With that, the witches disappeared, flying off into the distance and leaving Bloom alone to face whatever was to come. The portal flickered; it didn't look very secure, but it was her only shot. The voices were growing near, angry commands from gruff, angry voices closing around her at all angles. They would be at her alley any second.

Bloom didn't think twice. She jumped.

The portal closed behind her, blue tendrils of energy snagging on the heel of her boots. She lost one in the process, watching the shoe remain behind as the Magix alleyway disappeared. She would have cursed losing another favorite article of clothing, but she had more urgent matters to worry about...mainly the fact that there was no ground to catch her.

Bloom propelled to the ground, the portal opening up high in the air. She felt her body drop like a stone, plummeting into the darkness. Try all she could, her wings would not come, lost along with the Dragon Flame. The witches had tricked her, preyed on her desperation and sent her to her death with no magic to defend herself.

The ground came hurtling into view at rapid speed. There was no way to stop the inevitable collision. So, Bloom closed her eyes and waited for the black void to take her.

* * *

At Cloud Tower, the storms above the oppressive school were especially violent as Stormy reveled in her newfound strength.

On the roof, the storm witch summon lightning bolts that struck plaster off of the ancient towers and rains so heavy they drops would cut straight to the bone had Darcy not put up a defensive shield. Darcy and Icy had no heart to tell their sister to calm her excitement. If their powers had been less conspicuous, they too would have taken the time to break in their new abilities. However, they still prized the element of surprise, and while bad storms could easily be blamed on nature, ice sheets and total hysteria could only point to one culprit. The witches could not risk exposure, not until the Army of Decay was at their command. Then, they would tear this school apart stone by stone and slaughter every spineless witch, pixie, and hero that dared defy them until they alone controlled this forsaken planet...and eventually the entire realm.

"It's ours sisters! What we've been fighting for for so long!" Icy praised, conjuring her whisperia crystal just to bask in the satisfaction that it had taken on a bright white color near the center where the Dragon Flame resided.

"It's beautiful," Darcy said as she gazed hungrily at her part of the flame, stroking it tenderly before replacing it back inside her crystal. "Griffin and the rest of this miserable planet won't even know what hit them."

"Let's summon the Army now!" Stormy encouraged, a manic glee in her eyes. "Why wait any longer? Why hide in the shadows when we have the power to rule?"

"Patience Stormy," Icy quieted her overeager sister, much to Stormy's blatant disappointment. "There are still things that need to be done."

"Like what?" Darcy asked, mildly annoyed.

"Like getting rid of those meddling Alfea pixies for one," Icy reminded them sharply. "The succubus may be gone but the rest of them have the pages on the Army of Decay. They know what we are planning."

"But they don't know we have the flame," Stormy said. "Not yet at least."

"I say we visit their school and give them a little demonstration of our new powers. Show them what happens to those who cross us," Darcy suggested, her dark eyes peering over slanted frames with an evil glint that Icy loved.

"What a wonderfully wicked idea sister," Icy praised, her mind already conjuring up a dozen new, powerful spells that would send the insolent fairies to their deaths. It would be a beautiful bloodbath, a glorious start to their conquest. Fairies represented hope and all that was good in magic. With them out of the way, there would be one less force around to hinder their Army.

"Where did you send that pathetic creature anyway?" Darcy asked, her bored tone containing a hint of curiosity.

"I sent her exactly where she wanted," Icy mused, a mischievous smile creeping its way up her lips. "Home."


	17. Chapter 16

A/N: Hello loves! Lots going on in this one so strap in! It gets pretty dark near the end, so be warned! Make sure to leave me love on the way out; I know a lot of people enjoy this story and reviews are like rewards for authors - they motivate me to update faster ;) Hope you all enjoy! XOXOX!

* * *

Chapter 16

When Bloom finally came to, she opened her eyes to black.

In fact, it was so dark that she thought she was still unconscious. It took a few tries slowly opening and closing her eyes for her to accept that wherever the witches had sent her was a place of eternal darkness. It wasn't dark in the traditional sense. The rocky structures seemed to emit a kind of luminesces that bathed the area in a gold tinge. It wasn't light enough to make much difference, but it was enough for Bloom to gather her bearings.

She stood on shaky legs, gravel crunching underneath her heels. The stones poked into her bare foot uncomfortably, and Bloom was reminded that she had lost one of her shoes in the fray so she was forced to remove the other. It wasn't comfortable, but at least she wouldn't hobble. Nothing felt broken, though her bones felt sore from the fall and her knees stung from scrapes she feel as she bent them. No doubt she had fallen a hundred feet. The fact that she was alive was a miracle...or a curse depending on who she asked. There were probably a lot of people currently rooting for her death.

Looking around, she realized that there was something familiar about this place. She had been here before, seen this pathway. There was a city not far past these rocks, a city bathed in red light and carved into the walls of the cavern itself. She began walking, hoping that whatever civilization lied beyond would be willing to help her get to Earth.

Bloom was almost over the ridge to see if she was correct when, out of the shadows, two men appeared. If she could call them men. Their bodies were bare saved the wraps around their waists and bejeweled cuffs on their wrists, scales scattered in patches along muscled arms and legs which led to sets of hand and foot claws. Horns protruded from their heads, pointing threateningly towards Bloom as if their beady red eyes and spears were not sending enough warnings. She stayed still, holding her hands up in surrender as the two men advanced on her.

"Who are you?" one demanded, voice raspy.

"Bloom," she replied, surprisingly calmly. "My name is Bloom."

She held her breath as the other poked his spear into her side, though not hard enough to break skin. He grew close, studying her. Bloom cast her glance to the side and saw that the other man had her suitcase. It had been damaged in the fall, the edges banged and peeling. It had also been opened, if the pieces of her few clothing items pinched out the sides were anything to go off of. Clearly these men had gotten to her suitcase first and were off to find its owner. Something told her it was not because they wished to return it.

"Hey, that's mine," Bloom said, trying to reach out for her case. It had food, supplies, and valuables such as pictures of her Earth mom and dad among other things she'd need to be a fugitive like money and identification. However, it was a mistake to try and take it, her wrist snatched in a painful twist behind her back.

"We are Guards of Eros, and you will follow."

It was not a suggestion. It was an order.

These men were stronger than she was; they knew this land better than she did. If she tried to run, they would find her. If she stood her ground, they would knock her down. The beast was not with her, not fully. She could feel it regrouping, gaining strength from the atmosphere of this strange place but not yet ready to fight. She was on her own, and right now her highest chance at survival lied with doing exactly as she was told.

Bloom followed the men over the hill and saw the city sprawled out before her. As they moved inside the catacombs, Bloom saw more of the clawed creatures - succubi, her mind finally registered - milling around, staring at her curiously. It was evident they were not used to visitors, taking in Bloom's appearance with both alarm and curiosity. An entourage had formed behind her, nosy passerbys following the guards through a grand set of double doors.

No...it couldn't be...

It was the hall from the book - the same narrow walls and onyx pillars. It was a real place. Up close, she could see the intricate details carved in the stone, looping patterns decorating nearly every square inch of the space. It was gorgeous in its darkness: tall ceilings, wrought iron candelabras underneath heavy tapestries embossed with the same golden seal, gothic windows with red stained glass letting in ghostly light from who-knows-where seeing as though they were underground. Bloom was so caught up in the aesthetic that she was distracted by the main attraction.

It was the woman. The woman from the book.

She sat on her throne, a wide seat draped in red velvet so that she could sprawl how she wished. Now, she sat up straight, one leg crossed over the other while her claws were braced on either arm of the seat, nails digging into the stone that rose seamlessly from the ground. She studied Bloom with intensity, eyes so narrow that Bloom could barely make out he red of her irises. The man - her real father - stood silently behind the woman not a day older than she had seen him in her vision. He looked straight ahead, his face betraying no emotion.

The men escorting her pushed Bloom to her knees as they reached the foot of the throne.

"Bow before Her Majesty, Queen Abaddon!"

So, the creature had a name. Bloom did as she was told and remained down, bowing her head.

"What is the meaning of this?" Queen Abaddon demanded in a semi-disgusted tone. She looked at Bloom as if she were a pest to be crushed under her foot. "Why have you brought me an outsider?"

"She was found on the outskirts of the city falling from the sky," one of the men replied, his head also bowed before his queen.

"A portal then..." Queen Abaddon surmised, her lips twisting into a sneer that showed the tips of her fangs. "What a powerful witch you must be to summon one powerful enough to break our enchantments."

"I am not a witch," Bloom countered before quickly adding, "Your Majesty."

"It is true. The girl does not smell of witch," the other man confirmed.

Queen Abaddon sniffed the air herself to make sure, obviously not trusting the word of her guards. When she did, her face twisted into something akin to curiosity and confusion.

"What a fascinating scent," she mused, standing from her throne to get close to Bloom. Bloom tried to stay calm, but there was no way the Queen missed the way Bloom's pulse quickened or how her scent took on the tinge of sweat and fear. Perhaps that was why the woman smirked as she reached out one, deadly claw to hook under Bloom's chin. She pulled Bloom to her until they were practically nose to nose, those red eyes peering into the depths of her soul. "You smell of fairy but also of Earth. Two contradictions on their own and yet...something dark and eerily familiar as well..."

"I'm not a fairy, not anymore," Bloom said, trying to keep her voice level.

"Not anymore?" Queen Abaddon asked, amused.

"I gave up my power to get here."

"A foolish trade," she chided, clucking her tongue as she released Bloom's chin. "You have given up everything just to die."

Queen Abaddon snapped her fingers and the two men rushed back to Bloom's side, seizing her tightly by the arms. The crowd grew restless, eager to see what punishment the Queen would dole out this time. No doubt it would be terrible and cruel. Bloom did not want to die; she did not give up everything to die now. She wanted answers, and she would get them by any means necessary.

"LET GO OF ME!" Bloom roared, the beast returning in full force, much more comfortable with its new surroundings.

As if by instinct, Bloom lashed out. The guards didn't even stand a chance, her reflexes allowing her to rip her arms from their grips, throwing both men to the ground. They were just as agile as she was, springing back up, but they did not have her youth, her absolute need for destruction. She felt it pulsing through her veins, the desire to kill. These obsidian walls and the crowd of eager eyes spurred her violence. The Queen looked on with rapture at Bloom's force, not disgust but recognition in her eyes as Bloom tore both guards to bits. Their blood stained her skin, her hands dripping. In her rage, she had transformed into the hybrid: claws bared and eyes narrowed to red slits. Anyone would have called her a monster and looked away in horror. Instead, the Queen looked at Bloom as if she were the most beautiful sight in the universe.

"How could I have been so blind?" Queen Abaddon chided herself, all her anger ebbing to joy as she clasped her claws in front of her heart. "It _is_ you! My sweet girl, you have found your way back to us!"

Suddenly Bloom found herself wrapped in a tight embrace, the Queen lovingly stroking her hair. It was a different reception than the one she received five minutes ago, one she was not sure how to reciprocate. But the Queen soon pulled away with a satisfied smile, eyeing Bloom up and down as if to make sure she were really there, claws and all. Satisfied, she took Bloom by the wrist and yanked her up the steps in front of the throne so they were standing beside the man from the book, beaming with pride.

"My daughter has returned to us!" Queen Abaddon exclaimed, raising her arms as the people roared and cheered. "All hail Bloom, Princess of the Succubi!"

* * *

Icy reveled in victory as she stepped over the ruins of the Alfea College for Fairies.

The battle was all she had hoped it would be: a glorious takeover that had an entire school begging on hands and knees for mercy. The looks on their little faces, so surprised, so shocked, was worth every single second of hard work and plotting. In fact, it had almost been too easy to reduce the school to rubble, the stone towers crumbling under the might of her supercharged ice. Her ice dragon roared from its perch on the cratered roof, picking off straggling survivors as they tried to flee.

She came across a fairy still half alive and struggling. The poor pixie's treble-cleft shape wings were crushed, her arm was bent at an awkward angle, and a boulder was pinning her legs to the ground. From the looks of things, she wouldn't last much longer. But Icy was a merciful ruler. She would put the girl out of her misery so she wouldn't have to suffer.

"N-no..." the girl pleaded desperately, still trying to fight despite impossible odds.

It did her no good. Icy only smirked and raised her boot, snapping the girl's neck between her heel. Her blue eyes looked blankly out into the distance. Icy moved on, unaffected.

Darcy was in the center of the Quad, making two captives fight. The pixies were already covered in bruises and cuts, blasting attacks at one another before falling down and getting back up again. The girls looked like they were ready to drop, miserable in their death match. Neither seemed willing nor wanting to fight the other, but Darcy's purple magic bent their will, filling their minds with anger and the desire to _kill_. Stormy looked upon the madness, cackling with glee as storm clouds gathered above, lightning bolts raining down and striking at the girls at the heels whenever they slowed their battle, causing them to jump and move faster.

Icy approached the makeshift arena. As much as she enjoyed watching pathetic pixies destroy themselves, she and her sisters had work to do.

"Enough of this," she said, her tone bored.

Darcy merely shrugged, releasing her hold on the girls. They dropped to the ground on all fours, panting and struggling for breath. It didn't matter much anyway. In the next moment, lightning came down, this time striking them directly, and the air was filled with the scent of burning flesh. Their lifeless bodies crumpled and smoked. Icy sent her sister a callous glare.

"Was that really necessary?"

"No," Stormy shrugged, admiring her handiwork. "But it was fun."

Darcy and Icy both rolled their eyes.

"What do we do now?" Darcy asked, surveying their destruction. While it was fun to destroy Alfea, it was very short lived and left the three with the urge to ravage more.

"Now, we summon the Army before anyone else gets in our way," Icy instructed. "No doubt an attack this scale attracted the attention of both Red Fountain and Cloud Tower, not to mention all of Eraklyon. They're probably gathering more forces and sending them as we speak."

"We should go before they get here," Darcy suggested. Icy nodded and summoned her ice dragon, the creature reverting back to pure energy before disappearing inside her whisperia crystal. They started moving, flying away from their devastating masterpiece.

"After we summon the Army, then what?" Stormy asked as she caught up to her sisters, impatient as ever.

"Then we get rid of the other two schools and rule over this planet like the queens we are," Icy said with conviction, her sisters grinning at the thought.

"First Magix, then the universe," Stormy sighed dreamily, more than likely envisioning a world where everything was as dark and chaotic as she was.

"What about the rest of these pixies," Darcy jerked her head back to what used to be Alfea's main entrance, the winged gates shattered and bent off the frame. "You can't possibly think we got them all. They're always coming out of the woodwork like parasites."

"What about them?" Icy replied callously, flipping her silvery white hair over her shoulder. Perhaps it was foolish to act so cockily, but she felt invincible. "Even if a few managed to survive, what power do they possibly posses that can stop us now?"


	18. Interlude

A/N: Hello loves! Hope you all enjoy this new installment! Thank you so much to everyone who has left comments on my chapters :) I appreciate it so much! It would be great to hear from more voices as well; this story has 54 followers and it would mean so much if you guys could review. They motivate me to update faster and let me know if this idea sucks or not. Just, please show me some love. It would mean the world. Thanks! XOXOX!

* * *

Interlude

Musa stood in the middle of what used to be the Alfea College for Fairies.

All that remained of the once-familiar campus was reduced to rubble. The winged gates were warped and wilted, the tower crumbled and the green pocketed with craters and scorch marks. Dead bodies littered the area. Columns of ice were the only things holding up the devastated structures, and even those were melting by the second. Soon, the rest of it would collapse and the remaining students would be forced to find somewhere else to hide, but that wasn't the immediate problem.

Now, Musa was on retrieval duty. Faragonda had assigned her, Stella, and Tecna to retrieve the bodies of their fallen classmates. It was a horrible job. Stella had already cried twice and refused to go on, but Tecna pushed her forward. It was hard to see, hard to find the corpses of friends. When she found Galatea's body, Musa bent a knee and wept silently for her fallen princess. Musa didn't consider herself much of a royalist, but Galatea was a good fairy and an even better person. Melody suffered a great loss that day.

One by one, the girls picked up their friends (or in most cases, what remained of them) and piled them onto a cart. There were other teams, other carts waiting to be filled by the few survivors who made it through the attack. When Headmistress Faragonda did a head count after the witches had left, out of the hundreds of fairies attending the college less than fifty students remained, most of whom sustained injuries that needed to be treated as soon as possible. Musa and her friends had been lucky. They had been off chasing Bloom with the Eraklyan soldiers and the Magix police. Had they stayed behind with the rest of the school...Musa shuddered to think about the consequences.

Of course, at the thought of Bloom, Musa's blood boiled. Just the idea of being so close to such a vile creature...to sharing a dorm and inside jokes and embraces...it made her skin crawl. How had they all been so blind? Well, not all of them. Tecna always had her suspicions, and Musa felt guilty for not listening to her beautiful lover sooner. Truly, Tecna's mind was a marvel. Without her connecting the dots, they would be dead along with all the others.

Musa stood and stretched her legs, looking out at the charred terrain, trying to imagine it as it was yesterday or all the days before this horrific one. Sadly, her mind could not draw up the imagine. Instead, this gruesome scene was stained onto her memory like a tattoo: permanent and forever.

Her muscles burned but Musa gathered the strength to lift Galatea's body off the ground, careful not to smear any more blood than necessary across her clothes. Faragonda had given them more practical get ups, ones that covered more and provided more protection than her old crop top and ripped jeans. The clothes were really more like a Specialist's jumpsuit, but Musa wasn't complaining. The navy blue material felt light but was durable, and would serve its purpose.

"I think we've got enough," Musa called to Stella and Tecna as she deposited Galatea's body on top of the pile. There were too many glassy eyes staring emptily her way to count. "Any more and it might be too heavy to move."

"Headmistress said we had to finish by sundown," Tecna reminded, her voice hollow, as if she could not compute this kind of damage.

"I know Tec, but we have to save our strength," Musa countered, watching as the technical girl finally gave way to exhaustion.

Stella did not have to be persuaded to quit. Her face was ashen and her hair streaked with dirt, hanging limply by her shoulders. She looked like she'd seen a ghost, or twenty. Musa knew she was not strong enough to handle this, and had no idea why Faragonda would assign such a squeamish person to such a macabre job. But Stella was the fairy of the shining sun, and so she supposed Stella was there to light their way seeing as though the electricity was currently out of service.

Slowly, the three retraced their steps through the carnage back into the withering remains of the school. The foundation was cracking and crumbling all around them, the ceiling groaning and dripping from burst pipes. Out of the corner of her eye, Musa spotted Flora along with a few other fairies working to keep the building up for as long as possible. Flora looked ready to drop, her shoulders sagging and knees knocking as she kept on summoning thick green vines to wind around the failing support beams and hold them steady. The others around her looked to be in similar shape, a water fairy trying to divert the leaks from melting ice into huge basins while a magnetism fairy moved sheets of fallen metal and molded them into different shapes.

There was no time to stop and chat. They had a mission to report.

Following Stella's flickering ball of light, the girls wound their way through the mess until they reached a seal on the center of the floor off one of the main corridors. To the outside eye, it looked like a pretty decoration. The girls new better now. With a wave of their hands and a slight convergence, the seal started to glow and spin until the magic around it gave way and a spiral staircase appeared, the stone steps sinking downward into the ground. When they first approached this odd passage, the girls were hesitant but followed their Headmistress anyway. Now, they took the steps two at a time, the cart hovering close behind them.

The staircase deposited them in the catacombs of Alfea, the passage closing as soon as the cart was settled on the ground. The tunnel was narrow and dimly lit, but Stella's orb still had life left in it. They walked a now-familiar path down the winding way until they reached an antechamber. It was there were the remainder of the Alfea College for Fairies set up its base.

Cots had been erected for the wounded, Ophelia going back and forth as fast as she could between broken legs to fractured ribs and worse. Some of the girls stood off to the side and sparred, taking the opportunity to train when it came time to face the Trix again. Most just sat in huddled silence or were busy completing their assigned tasks such as rationing food, digging graves, and running surveillance. In the center of the room stood Headmistress Faragonda who was staring at a map as if it had personally offended her, Griselda standing austerely at her side.

"Any luck contacting Red Fountain?" Faragonda asked as the girls got close enough to hear.

"None," Griselda seethed, slamming the phone down on the table. "We can only assume the worst."

"Give the phone to me," Tecna instructed as she stepped into the older women's domain, palm open patiently. "I'll see what I can do to improve the signal."

Thankfully, Griselda did not yell Tecna's ear off. Had this been any other day and she would have scolded the magenta haired fairy for impertinence. But this was not any other day. This was the start of war, and Tecna knew the most about technology. If she could help, then Griselda was going to do as she said. The older woman glared over the tops of her glasses and passed the cell phone with mild reluctance. Tecna nodded her head, satisfied, and sat in a chair as she fiddled with the circuits.

"How many more did you find?" the Headmistress asked, turning her attention towards Musa and Stella.

"Ten," Stella all but whispered, willing herself not to cry. "I don't think we're ever going to stop finding them."

"Do we have names?"

Stella nodded and handed over the PDA Tecna used to log them. Headmistress Faragonda frowned but sighed in acceptance before handing the PDA back to Stella.

"Contact their families, let them know what happened."

"Why don't you do it yourself?" Stella snapped, her emotions taut like a wire. "This is your job; this is your school. These girls were your responsibility and you let them die!"

Headmistress Faragonda lashed out and slapped Stella clear across the face. For a minute, no one moved, no one even dared to breathe.

"I am _prioritizing_ ," the Headmistress replied with anger barely restrained. " _Yes_ , it is horrible that those girls lost their lives and _yes_ , they died under my care but I have no power to change that. I cannot turn back time. I can only lead this school forward and my first priority as Headmistress is to reach out to the other forces in Magix to ensure the safety of those students who are still alive. I do not have time to waste, not even on honoring the dead."

Musa flinched. Stella didn't speak, didn't even look up from the ground.

"Now, do as I say and notify their families. Then get back out there and gather more of your fallen sisters. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am," Musa and Stella muttered, unable to do anything other than obey.

"Good. You're dismissed," the Headmistress seethed, shooing them away with a brush of her hand.

As they were walking away Stella muttered, "I hate this. I hate this so much."

"I know Stel, just hang in there," Musa encouraged. She knew she and Stella had never been the closest, but that was no reason not to be kind when the girl needed it. Musa was never the best at the whole comforting thing, but she was doing her best and she could tell Stella appreciated what she could get. It wasnt' like anyone else was lining up to do it.

Suddenly, alarms went off, blaring echoes through the cavernous space. Immediately, everyone's guards went up. All thoughts were on the possibility of another attack. The simple fact was, if this was another attack, they were not ready. They were sitting ducks, ripe and ready for the picking.

Musa swallowed thickly and looked over at Tecna. For once, the girl looked frightened. Musa reached over and squeezed her hand in comfort. Tecna managed a small smile before the flashing red lights brought the panic back.

"Ladies, attack formation!" Headmistress Faragonda ordered. Those who could move mobilized immediately. Those who could not looked on with dread.

This was a bad idea. Going out unarmed and weak was a bad idea. But what other choice was there? They could either go down cowards or put up a fight. Musa chose a fight any day.

The stairs reappeared by Faragonda's command. Musa took charge and was one of the first up the stone steps, Tecna and Stella following close behind. Somehow, the journey through the tunnels and back up to the surface seemed longer than before. She knew that it was just her fears playing on her anticipation, pulling out the period of dread before the bomb dropped. Knowing that didn't make it any easier.

Nothing on the surface looked any different from before. There were no roars of ice dragons or the spark of electric storms indicated the Trix. It was quiet...almost too quiet.

Moving out on the green, Musa noticed that Flora and the other few fixers were already posed to fight the intruder, wherever they were. Musa sidled up next to Flora, offering her friend much needed back up. The relief in Flora's eyes was palpable. It was the first time they'd been close since the initial attack, and Musa discovered just how much she missed the nature fairy's soothing presence. However, no amount of soothing auras were going to change the terror of a very real and present danger.

Finally, the intruder showed their face, or _her_ face was more accurate.

A single young woman approached the dilapidated gate. She could not have been any older than the Alfea girls, her skin a dark brown and her hair even darker spun in wild wavy curls that fell down her back. Her eyes were cold and focused straight ahead. Scars littered her exposed, muscular arms; even through the fabric of her shirt Musa could make out ab muscles that would make a body builder jealous. A small creature flittered above her head, buzzing like a bee that she simply ignored, stepping over debris and bones alike, crushing them under her worn combat boots. She was a formidable presence to stumble upon Alfea, though she did not give off the impression of a witch. No, in fact she gave off the impression of a warrior.

"Who the fuck are you?" Musa snapped, not lowering her guard.

The young woman scanned the area back and forth, as if assessing if what she had stumbled upon was worth her time. Whatever she was looking for, she found. In the next moment she was smiling, and not kindly.

"My name is Princess Aisha of Andros, and I hear you have a Succubus problem."


	19. One Year Later

A/N: I'm sorry for the ungodly long hiatus, loves. Honestly, I joined new fandoms, made more ideas, and lost inspiration for this story. The plot was running stagnant, and I was left with all this filler material, so I was debating just ending this story at the Interlude since it ends on a somewhat acceptable note. But, after the continued interest and after I worked a few things out, I've decided that I do want to continue this story. So, instead of ending at the Interlude and creating a sequel, I'm going to fast forward the story clock a year so I can catch up and go from there.

This chapter is kind of another interlude (those chapters will always have names instead of just 'chapter x'), but it sets the stage for the events to come. I hope you loves enjoy! XOXOX!

* * *

One Year Later

A shadowy figure ran through the labyrinthine streets of Magix City, sticking as close to the shadows as possible. Search lights were on her heels, seeking her out, hoards of dirty cops ready to take her down. But she was faster. She knew these streets, knew them like the back of her hand. Maybe one day she would get caught, but today was not that day, not when the forest was in sight. Once she slipped past the line of trees, she would be home free.

Sirens wailed, coming in closer, but she did not let them distract her. As soon as the first brush of pine needles scraped across her pale cheeks, she felt a burst of adrenaline. She was so close, almost to her destination.

The winged gates of what was formerly the Alfea College for Fairies stood bent but proud, marking the last vestige of what used to be the best school in the Magical Dimension. She passed under those gates, feeling the security charms and perception filters wash over her, recognizing her as friend and not foe. Flood lights lit up the Quad, a few of her sisters clad in black leather jumping out from behind the ruins to ensure that she was not an intruder. When they recognized her face, they greeted her with hugs and pats on the back. Even if they were not close when the school was still standing, they were close now, bound by unspeakable tragedy.

Inside the bunker, everyone was moving about faster than she had seen before. Specialists and fairies alike were busy at their tasks, making sure that reports were run and the defenses were guarded. She wondered what she had missed in her two days' absence.

"Musa, there you are," Headmistress Faragonda said, examining her pupil's appearance for any sign of injury. "We were beginning to worry when you would not answer you burner."

"It got lost in the chase," Musa apologized, not worried about losing a phone that could not be traced back to them.

"Hmmmmph," the Headmistress sighed, gesturing for Musa to follow her into her private office - a corner square with metal beams and glass for walls. Hardly private, but it created the illusion.

Stella was already waiting for them, her hands folded neatly behind her back. They did not greet one another with words, only a subtle nod of the head. Ever since this started, Stella had closed herself off, unwilling to open up to anyone like she used to. It was a strange thing to get used to, but Musa had come to accept that everyone dealt with tragedy in their own way, and losing one's best friend and romantic interest in the span of a few days was enough to make anyone cold and closed off.

"I need your full report," Headmistress Faragonda said as she sat down behind her desk, pushing her speaker forward and pressing record. She did this for every mission in order to keep track of every detail.

"In a week's time, the Trix are planning on moving the Army of Decay south towards Lake Roccaluce. They think that with the larger space, and the strong magical potential of the area, they can open up a stronger portal to the neighboring system."

"And you are sure this information is valid?"

"Riven said he checked it by Darcy herself."

"Very well," Headmistress Faragonda hummed, mulling things over. "If this movement is in fact happening, then it could really turn the tide of the war."

"We could finally get an upper hand on those witches," Stella added, her tone and gaze containing barely-suppressed rage. While Musa knew that her real anger was aimed at Bloom, the succubus was not around, and so the Trix were the ones to face the brunt of her fury.

"We don't have any time to waste. We're dying by the minute; I doubt we'll make it to the end of the month before the rations run out. We have to seize any chance we get, no matter how risky," Musa implored, hoping to get through to her superior.

Headmistress Faragonda was quiet for a few moments, thinking everything through. She had become exceedingly cautious ever since the initial attacks, not wanting to injure any more of her students. It was understandable, but a war with this much at stake was no time to play it safe.

"Musa, Stella, gather the girls for a meeting. I will go pass on word to Headmaster Saladin," Headmistress Faragonda instructed, already putting herself into battle mode. "If all goes well, this time next week, this war could be over."

It sounded hopeful, far more hopeful than anything any of them had heard in far too long. It was a nice feeling, to have something other than an oppressive weight bearing down on their shoulders.

Stella nodded sharply and left the room, not even bothering to wait for a proper dismissal. Musa watched her spread the word to those in the bunker, so Musa decided to start at the fringes.

The Quad was shielded by illusion and barrier spells, some of the strongest Griselda could summon. Still, despite the reinforcement, Musa hated being outside for long. It felt like playing with fire, taking an unnecessary risk. Besides, she already had nightmares of the bodies of her decomposing classmates turning out of this same soil and eating them alive. She didn't want to stumble across any of the bodies she happened to miss.

There was one woman, however, who courted danger. The one woman who was still a mystery even after she had shown up at Alfea's gates months ago.

In the center of the Quad, Princess Aisha of Andros was engaged in a sparring match with two other girls, a ring of both Specialists and fairies surrounding them. They were watching the fight with rapt attention, Aisha shouting things out as she struck her opponents, taking them down with ease. It was both impressive to watch, and difficult, as Musa would have thought that these girls would have been getting better at hand to hand combat after all their training. However, it remained that some people, no matter how hard they try, just were not cut out for the battlefield.

"You can't just knock them on their backs, you have to finish them," she said gruffly, pulling one of the girls up by her ponytail, yanking her head back as she exposed her throat. With her free hand, Aisha pulled out a long, serrated knife and held it to her throat. "You have to cut off the head, or cut out the heart. Then, you burn the body. It's the only way to make sure those bitches stay gone."

Aisha released the girl, who rubbed at her throat with shaking hands. She looked terrified, and Musa didn't blame her. Musa didn't think that she would trust Aisha with a knife that close to her throat either, not after seeing how intense the warrior princess could be.

"Get up," Aisha grunted at the other girl who was sporting a nasty red welt to the side of her face. "Anyone else want to go a round before sundown?"

Unsurprisingly, no one volunteered. Musa took that as her cue.

"Sorry to break up the party, but Faragonda needs everyone in the bunker. There's a meeting in five."

Everyone scrambled, eager for an excuse not to be tossed around like rag dolls. Aisha only seemed mildly annoyed, but Musa had come to find that was her resting face, so it was hard to tell what the princess was actually thinking.

With everyone gone, Aisha allowed her posture to relax. She reached down and picked up her canteen, taking a long swig of what Musa hoped was water but could not be sure. Her pixie was buzzing around her head now, burying itself in Aisha's wild curls. That pixie was the only thing that really seemed to take her edge off, the lines in her face smoothing out, the fire in her eyes dying to embers.

"I didn't know you were still offering succubus classes."

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Aisha asked aloofly, those turquoise eyes staring down at Musa, scrutinizing her. At first, Musa hated that gaze; it felt like Aisha was trying to tear her apart and look under her skin. After being around her for so long, Musa was desensitized to the intimidation now.

"I don't know, just doesn't seem to be practical with the Trix and the Army out there."

"Have to stay ready," she replied shortly, looking out into the distance, scanning the trees for any sign of intruders. It was a paranoid habit, one that Musa caught her doing often, but never said anything about. When Aisha looked back down, Musa was still staring, which Aisha did not seem to like. Her lips curled down into a frown, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's been a year since Bloom left. Magix Police Department closed the case. The Eraklyan Guard has given up. Maybe we need to accept that she's not coming back."

"If there's one thing I know about succubi, it's that they always come back. Always," Aisha said with full confidence, her gaze unflinching. Musa wanted to badly to believe her, but there were other more immediate problems at hand than a runaway sex demon. Then, Aisha's lips quirked up, her smile more tease than malice. "Besides, I thought you liked having me around."

"I do," Musa agreed. At first, Musa had resented Aisha, didn't trust her with anything. Now, she considered the wayward princess to be a close friend. She did not know how she would have survived these terrible times without her.

"No point in me staying if there's no succubus to catch."

"I thought we might have swayed you with our cause to stay anyway."

"There's a thousand other things I could be doing with my time than fighting your war," Aisha replied, her eyes boring holes into Musa's, pining her to the spot. "I choose to be here for one reason, and one reason only. Don't forget that."

Aisha turned on her heel, yellow grass crunching under her boots as she stomped off. Musa let out a heavy sigh. She was used to being disappointed these days. At least the princess was here now, and that was all Musa could ask for.

Spying no one else on the Quad, Musa turned around and headed back inside. The halls that remained had been swept of debris, most of it used in the construction of the underground bunker. What was left was a crumbling shell of the building Musa used to call a school. She was almost to the entry point when a familiar voice distracted her.

"Musa, I did not hear you return."

She turned to see Tecna walking up to her, PDA in hand as she checked the travel logs.

"I just got back," Musa lied, having already been to the Headmistress' office and to the sparring range. But Tecna didn't need to know that. It would only hurt her unnecessarily. "I missed you babe."

"And I you," Tecna replied in turn, leaning down to accept the kiss offered to her. Even though the months had brought them closer, she was still hesitant to accept public affection. "I trust the mission went well?"

"Without a hitch."

Tecna started to frown, unable to stop her disapproval from showing. "You know, there is a seventy four point two three percent chance that Riven is in fact spying on you for the Trix."

"I am very aware, which is why I am always very careful," Musa assured, rubbing her hands up and Tecna's arms. "I want to trust him, babe. He's been on our side before; he was a Specialist, remember? There's still good in him. We have to believe that."

Tecna was not convinced. "And if he is not? If he is only participating in these illicit affairs for nefarious purposes? What then?"

Musa took a step back, sensing something else at play. "Tecna, are you...jealous?"

"Nonsense. I am aware that your relationship with Riven was fabricated strictly on the basis of gathering information," Tecna said, her face crumpling into something distasteful. However, there was no hiding the surge of anguish running behind those violet irises. Tecna reached out and framed one of Musa's cheeks, fingers tracing over delicate cheekbones. "I simply do not wish to see you, nor any of our friends, get hurt."

"I won't," Musa swore, leaning up on tip toes to press soft kisses to Tecna's cheeks and forehead, trying her best to soothe her lover. This was as close as Tecna would ever come to being emotional, to admitting any kind of weakness. Musa always felt privileged when she let her see the woman behind the machine. Tecna's heart was in her hands, and it was Musa's job to make sure it was always functioning at full capacity. There was only one way to convey the kind of affection Musa was feeling right now, the kind of love that threatened to consume her body and soul. "Come to bed with me."

"We have a meeting - "

"Please."

Tecna's eyes fluttered shut as she leaned forward to rest her forehead against Musa's, slowly nodding her consent, their temples rubbing together.

Musa reached down and laced their fingers together, pulling Tecna in the opposite direction of the bunker. Their old room was just up the stairs, still in tact despite a few added cracks and dents. There was nothing the meeting could tell Tecna that Musa could not fill her in on later. After Musa had reaffirmed her lover that she wasn't going anywhere in the only language she knew they would both understand.

* * *

Thunder rolled over what was once the Cloud Tower School for Witches. Now, it was the fortress for the Trix, their very own castle from which to rule Magix over.

There were no more witches there to give them trouble or take it back. The students that saw the light and chose to follow them were allowed to live, and those who defied them were either imprisoned in the dungeons or executed in a number of terrible ways. Icy had frozen some with her ice dragon. Darcy had driven a few to madness. Stormy had electrocuted far too many people to count, but they had to stop her from filling the halls with the stench.

Their kingdom was built on death, and it didn't seem likely to stop soon.

Icy picked at her nails and studied the map of Magix, trying to figure out her next move.

The Trix had been stagnant in their pursuit for power. One year, and they hadn't even left this Dragon-forsaken planet. It was annoying to say the least, but there was little they could do other than start a massacre every time the people in the city still clung to the hope that they would be freed. It was the damn Resistance's fault. Icy could feel it in her bones. That rag-tag group of rebel fairies had been nothing but a pain in her side since the destruction of Alfea. It was like they didn't know when to give up.

Icy slammed her fist on the mahogany table that once used to be Headmistress Griffin's. Now, everything in this lavish office was hers, and Icy had to admit, when she looked at her spoils, she felt good. However, no amount of sitting in a high-backed chair, ruling over her alma mater and shouting out orders would compare to finally getting off of this planet and conquering somewhere new.

"I'm bored," Stormy droned, her body draped over one of the settees. She was busying herself tossing a crystal ball in the air, catching it gracefully each time.

"Then why don't you get off your lazy ass and do something," Icy snapped. She hadn't seen Stormy contribute anything productive to the cause in the last few weeks. Her sister was dead weight, and Icy was getting tired of carrying her to greatness.

"Yeah Stormy, it's starting to get a little wide," Darcy quipped from across the room, lowering the ancient text in her hand to cast her sister an unapologetic smirk.

"Quit your witching, Darcy. As if you're any better," Icy scoffed, feeling satisfied when Darcy's face contorted into a scowl, burying herself back into her book. "You're both nothing but a hindrance, two irksome little children."

"Wow, for a second you started to sound like mom," Darcy said dryly, her eyes cutting daggers from over the tops of her glasses.

Icy's hands curled into fists, and the temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. If there was one thing she hated, it was being compared to that woman.

There was about to be a full blown fight when the doors to the office blew open, adding a fourth member to the party.

"The prodigal son returns," Stormy announced sarcastically, studying her nails.

Riven strode into the room, a smug look on his face as he presented himself to his mistresses.

"Did she buy it?" Darcy asked, patting the spot next to her, inviting him to join her on the sofa.

"Hook line and sinker. That dumb whore is so weak for me, I think she would believe anything I told her," Riven boasted as he settled on the black velvet cushions, arms tossed over the back while he spread his legs in the typical cocky male pose. Darcy curled up next to him, hanging on his every word. Icy was no longer sure what was an act, and what was true affection. "All she has to do now is see that the information I passed along is credible, and she'll be taking me to where she and her little friends are hiding in no time."

Icy did not like his overconfidence, her eyes narrowing dangerously in the hopes of knocking his ego down a peg. "For your sake, I hope that's true."

Darcy pouted, annoyed with her sister's brooding act. She placed a hand over Riven's heart, drawing his attention as she crawled into his lap.

"Ignore the frigid bitch. I am so proud of you. Someone deserves a reward for a job well done," Darcy teased, her tone low against the shell of Riven's ear. "I hope fucking that little fairy didn't tire you out too much,"

"Couldn't get it up thinking about anyone else but you, babe."

"Gag me," Stormy said and she stuck out her tongue, repulsed by the scene.

Icy was growing tired of the show as well. Her sister was acting juvenile, so far beneath the powerful queen she should be. Half of the time, Icy was torn between freezing the Specialist's balls off or freezing his heart. But, as loathe as she was to admit it, the boy did have some value. He was their closest shot at taking down the Resistance at the moment, and so, Icy would have to suffer. But that didn't mean she had to like it.

"If you miscreants are going to defile one another then it will be out of the sanctity of my throne room," Icy said bitterly, the temperature in the room lowering to match her frosty mood.

" _Your_ throne room?" Stormy asked, affronted.

Icy rolled her eyes. " _Our_ throne room. Happy?"

"Here, I did find this," Riven said, pulling something out of his pocket and tossing it towards Icy. She caught it with ease, the object no bigger than a phone.

In fact, it was a phone. Dirty and cracked from where it had no doubt been dropped, but it still lit up when Icy hit the power button.

"And what am I supposed to do with this?"

"It's Musa's. I thought maybe it could be useful."

"Maybe we could try a locator spell," Darcy suggested, now interested in the mission.

"Doubtful it would work. This looks like a burner; she wouldn't have had it long enough," Icy mused, scanning over every detail carefully. "But there could be something on it that could help us."

Riven wore that smug, self-satisfied smile again. "You're welcome."

Icy sneered, so close to shoving an icicle in his throat. "You should be thanking me for letting you breathe."

Both Riven and Darcy frowned, the couple getting up and leaving the office, probably off to the bedroom where Icy hoped they would remain until they got all of that disgusting energy out of their bodies.

"Stormy, take the phone to the others. One of them is bound to know something," she instructed, holding out the device for her sister to take.

"Do you really think this is going to work?" she asked, glaring at the place where Riven once sat. It was nice to know that Icy was not alone in her hatred of the Specialist.

"If it doesn't, we will take the Army and storm Alfea and make sure that this time, nothing remains," Icy swore, wearing her cruelest smile. "And then we can enjoy ripping that foolish little boy limb from limb."


	20. Chapter 17

A/N: Sorry again for the long wait time! Writer's block, a hectic personal life, and other projects is one hell of a combination. I promise though I'm not giving up on this story, no matter how long the hiatuses. This story has amassed a few dozen more faves/follows so to those who joined I say welcome! Please leave me some love on the way out - it really does help me stay motivated! Thanks loves! Hope you enjoy! XOXOX

* * *

Chapter 17

Bloom panted as she ran to the corner of the arena, chest heaving and red vision searching rapidly for any oncoming threats.

These attacks were relentless, not even a second's worth of time to catch her breath before more assailants descended upon her. They rushed at her with claws and fangs bared, leaving no room for going easy. They knew Bloom could fight back, that she was supposed to fight back.

There were barely two seconds to duck before the claws aiming for her head impaled themselves on the stone wall, scraping down with the most ear-piercing shriek. The sound gave Bloom her window, and she dodged extended arms, landing a roundhouse kick to her assailant's gut. The force sent the creature flying backwards, knocking into another would-be attacker. Her chest welled with pride, finally able to nail that move after many failed attempts.

A punch to the gut sobered her ego, knocking what little breath she had out of her lungs. Red vision blurred even darker and fuzzier, but not because of rage. No, because of thick arms reaching around and strangling her by the neck.

Claws flew up to gouge at these evil arms, but the held fast and strong. This assailant had to be at least twice Bloom's size, if not bigger. It really wasn't fair, Bloom cursed mentally before throwing her bodyweight upward and slamming back to the ground.

That hurt...like a motherfucker...but it was worth all the bruises that would result. Because her attacker loosened their grip just enough for her to land an elbow to the gut and then a foot to the face. Bloom could feel the spray of blood against her bare heel as soon as it made contact. Of course, the grunt of pain from the creature now unconscious on the ground was also a good assessment of her attack.

 _Three down, one to go..._

The last opponent was still half way across the arena, staring Bloom down like a shark, studying her. It unnerved Bloom to watch equally red eyes tear her apart without a single physical blow. This one was dissecting her, assessing her, watching her every move and figuring out what the most devastating strike would be.

Bloom sucked in a breath while she could and prepared for the worst.

Footsteps charged in her direction.

Bloom exhaled.

Her eyes flew open just in time to a compact body slam into her abdomen and send them both tumbling. The only difference was, Bloom landed in a series of bone-cracking thuds while her attackers rolled gracefully to their feet, lithe frame springing up and ready for more while Bloom groaned and had to pick herself up off the ground. Her shoulder crunched upon pushing her body upward, and Bloom fought not to cry out. That was a sign of weakness, and weakness would not be tolerated. Weakness only led to more pain.

Face to face, her assailant looked impassive and focused, not at all fazed by Bloom's growing rage. Rage was something she was still learning to control. Her rage made her unpredictable, and being unpredictable would get her killed. Or so everyone told her. In this moment, the beast was giving her power, giving her energy, giving the will to move forward and _destroy this insolent bitch_.

In a bout of beast-fuelled mania, Bloom flipped her assailant over her shoulder and threw them to the ground. The echo of the body hitting the ground rang in Bloom's ears like sweet music, the fight ending in her favor.

Finally, she could rest.

"Well done."

Bloom looked up to see her mother, Queen Abaddon, looking down at her. The succubus was clapping slowly, pleased with Bloom's display of strength. Pride swelled in Bloom's chest, happy to make her mother so proud.

Bloom extended her hand and helped her assailant up off the ground, hopeful there would be no hard feelings. It was just sparring practice after all. The creature simply bowed her head - something Bloom was still getting used to everyone doing - and left the arena with the others so that Queen Abaddon could take their place. Not that the queen wanted to spar. No, that would not be fair to Bloom to go up against someone so skilled, and it was unlike a warrior such as Abaddon to go easy on anyone. No, her mother wanted to talk, and about something important if her expression served.

"I am impressed, my daughter. Your strength and prowess grows every day."

"Thanks," Bloom replied, unable to stop the blush creeping up her cheeks from the compliment. One year spent on Eros and she was still getting used to being proud of what she was, fighting off the fear of using the red-eyed demon under her skin and replacing it with confidence.

The red-eyed demon which she now knew was her inner succubus nature fighting to get out.

"Still a way to go on maintaining composure I see," the queen tutted, and Bloom stood up a little straighter, trying to be more intimidating. "Fret not. It will come more naturally in time and as you become more attuned to your body. After all, you're still a growing young succubus. You are years from full maturity. I am just hard on you because...well...you are my daughter, and one day these people will be your people. They will look to you as leader; you must learn to carry yourself as one."

"I understand."

"I know you do. It is part of why I know you will not disappoint me." Abaddon's smile was cruel, but Bloom could see the genuine love hidden beneath the armor. "Walk with me."

The command did not have to be said twice, Bloom following in her footsteps as they ascended from the arena, going nowhere in particular. Part of what Bloom admired most about Eros was the openness of the architecture - all the buildings were intertwined and open, allowing for wandering eyes to look into any hall they desired. Right now, onlookers gazed up at their queen and heir in awe, making Bloom feel both self-conscious and proud.

It had not taken long for Bloom to grow attached to Abaddon. Out of all the people she had known - including her own Earth parents whom she still dearly missed and wanted to help as soon as she got the chance - the succubus queen was the only one who truly understood and accepted Bloom as she was. Bloom's friends had turned on her as soon as they saw her true colors, not even bothering to hear her side of things. Daphne was dead, and worse, completely useless. Even Mike and Vanessa were suspicious when Bloom went through puberty, noticing that their daughter was more inherently endowed than all the other girls, something that Mike especially struggled to come to terms with.

All throughout her life, people had been trying to change her, trying to cover her up and push her into tiny boxes of what she should be. Now, Bloom was free to be who she really was without repercussions. She didn't have to cover up with oversized sweatshirts and turtlenecks; in fact, succubi prided themselves on their bodies and often went in the nude (Bloom wasn't quite at that level of confidence yet, preferring to wear loose-fitting robes instead). She didn't have to pretend to be something she wasn't, or fake that everything was okay.

For the first time in a very long time, she didn't feel like a monster.

"You remember what I told you of our history?" Queen Abaddon asked as they meandered the halls. Bloom was used to such questions - innocent enough but lined with expectation.

"That the Succubi were once a great people, that Eros was once a shining city in the Realm of Magix."

"Precisely, daughter mine," Queen Abaddon cooed, pleased with Bloom's memory. Bloom treasured these tiny praises, collecting them in the confines of her heart. "Eros was once a glorious nation, a gem amongst the rubble, and we were a thriving people. Then, the Great War came and now look at us, trapped and forced to live underground like insects. It is demeaning, completely unacceptable, and yet it is what we were forced into when the Company of Light took over. The Ancestresses promised us an empire beyond our wildest dreams, a vast people over which to rule. Empty promises...or so I thought."

"Is that where I come along?"

"Yes, you, my radiant beacon of hope," Abaddon praised, claws reaching out to hook Bloom's chin, raising it high with might. "You were born of the most ancient and omniscient powers, the very thing Eros needs to rise once more."

Bloom's stomach clenched.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to lead anyone. I only _just_ learned I was a succubus."

For as much as Abaddon cared for Bloom as her child, the Succubus Queen was more obsessed with Bloom's former possession of the Dragon Flame, seeing it as some kind of sign that she was sent down to liberate the Succubi and lead them to greatness. While it was flattering to have so much faith placed in her, Bloom was also very wary of falling out of her mother's favor should she prove to not live up to her acclaimed prowess. Right now, she fought more like a child than a warrior, something that improved every day but not fast enough for Bloom's liking. The quicker she could rise to Abaddon's standards, the better.

"My understanding is complete, but Succubi live much longer than other creatures. Our lives are longer, fueled by the energies that drive longevity and lust. We can play the long game," Queen Abaddon said, unwilling to yield on her vision. "I am a patient woman, my daughter. I have waited this long; I can wait until you are ready."

That was only half true. Bloom knew that Abaddon had high expectations. If Bloom did not possess her power soon, then she would not last until the next year. Perhaps Abaddon would not throw her out, but Bloom would lose her royal privileges for sure, and it was pretty nice to have people tend to her every whim.

"Have strength," Queen Abaddon encouraged, turning away. "It will not be long until you wield the Flame once more. I can feel it."

With that, she walked off flanked by two of her armed guards, their long capes trailing behind hulking bodies. Not that she needed them. No, they were more for show, a display of wealth and power so that no one dared defy her. As if anyone would dare if she were on her own. Bloom always felt a sense of wonder watching Abaddon walk away.

 _That could be you one day,_ Bloom though to herself.

"She did not give you too much hell, I hope."

The voice was low and rumbling, but not unfamiliar. Bloom turned to find the dark haired incubus, her sire and prince consort, Wrathis, leaning up against a pillar. It had taken her longer to get accustomed to his presence, mostly because he felt like a ghost only from her dreams. Now, she found his presence more soothing than Abaddon's.

Wrathis wore a thin-lipped smirking, indicating that he had at least dropped in on the tail end of that conversation.

"As much as expected," Bloom said with a shrug, fighting the urge to hug him in need of comfort.

Succubi, she had come to learn, did not like to be physically touched unless in an intimate or combative setting. Things like hugs and pats on the back and handshakes were not acceptable social practices. Bloom had to have this explained to her when she went to hug Wrathis once, which then he told her would appear to any onlooker like she was trying to hook up with her father, which was just... _gross_... So now they settled for smiles, which were another rarity in Eros.

"I assume she told you about her grand plan at universal domination."

"Something like that, yeah," Bloom laughed, looking at Wrathis with curiosity. He had moved from the pillar and out of the shadows, though the dark robes wrapped around his waist did nothing to lighten his figure. She wondered how much he knew, how many secrets he kept hidden close to that sculpted chest. "Did you know what she was planning?"

"Of course. Abaddon's insatiable ambition is the main reason I fell in love with her."

"You make endless war and bloodshed sound romantic."

"Is not Earth known for its epic ballads of love amidst times of chaos and carnage?" he challenged, playing Devil's Advocate. Bloom knew that he would never go against his queen outright, that Abaddon's word was law and to challenge it was equivalent to treason. It was pointless for her to try and sway him into changing Abaddon's mind.

"You have a point, but in defense, I never really got to that stuff before I got put in magical fairy school."

"To think, a succubus amongst fairies," Wrathis scoffed, the whole situation unendingly funny to him. Every time he was reminded of Bloom's stay at Alfea, he found himself chuckling. "That is a farce of its own calibre."

"Thinking back on it, I never did fit in there. Dragon Flame or not, I was never meant to be a fairy."

"No, you were meant to be so much more," Wrathis agreed. His dark eyes were filled with something hard and resolute, as if daring Bloom to say otherwise.

"So you agree with her plan, then? That once I'm fully 'matured' and mastered the art of combat, I should reclaim the Dragon Flame and lead the armies of Eros to greatness?"

"You do not?"

"Not exactly...there's just one problem: I gave the Dragon Flame up. I don't have it any more. How can I reclaim something that's no longer a part of me?"

"The Great Dragon is a celestial force. It cannot be tied down in one place in its entirety. Parts of it live on within every corner of the universe, and within every person it touches," Wrathis said sagely, expressing his years from behind the immortal face of a young man. "You still have that flame buried somewhere inside of you. The trick is getting you to ignite it, which Abaddon and I believe will come through time and training."

"If you say so..."

"You are so young, my dear. Do not place so much weight upon your shoulders just yet. Despite what your mother may want, you must do what is best for you at your own pace. Focus on knowing yourself before leaping into more unfamiliar territory. If you do that, the rest will follow, trust me."

"I do trust you. I think I trust you more than anyone else."

"I am honored, truly, but remember to leave some of that trust for yourself," Wrathis advised. Then he cleared his throat and canted his head to behind him, gesturing for Bloom to get up and follow. "Come. I have a surprise that may lift your spirits."

"A surprise?" Bloom asked, both excited and nervous as she went to follow her father. Her last 'surprise' was a set of sai blades and the one before that was a mace, both from her mother. Dragon willing, her father's gifts would be a little more like...well... _gifts_.

They both entered her private room and Bloom stopped short as she saw what was waiting for her.

There, kneeling in the center of her oversized four-poster, was an incubus. He was young - around her own age - and collared at the throat, a chain connecting him taut to the headboard. His head of unruly inky curls was bowed, hands folded behind his back, knees sinking into the plush mattress, ankles crossed. And he was completely naked, her eyes immediately drawn to the patch of dark hair between his legs where his cock laid half-hard against one muscular thigh.

Bloom's mouth ran dry at the sight.

"What is this?" she rasped, taking a step closer to get a better look.

"This servant is to service all of your needs," Wrathis said, watching Bloom survey her new toy. "I know you do not frequently partake in such activities, but as your powers grow, so will your appetite. You may have noticed the change already. If you suppress it, the more volatile it becomes - even going as far as killing your lover. Learning to exercise control will be key."

Although she neither confirmed nor denied her father's claim, Bloom had noticed a change. She had been more agitated lately, more restless. It felt like she had an itch she couldn't scratch, a hunger that could not be sated by food alone. She found herself staring at the members of her mother's court longer, feeling herself get heated at the slightest of accidental brushes.

However, as appealing as this creature was and as practical as her father's intentions seemed, she could not look past the chain. She had never seen such a display during her time in Eros thus far. Surely, there had to be some kind of qualm with keeping what appeared to be the equivalent of a slave.

"Do not feel badly for it," Wrathis assured Bloom, though she did not miss the way her father called the man 'it', like he was some sort of object instead of a living breathing individual. "We Succubi do have a sense of justice. Any that dare to break our Queen's law are subject to a sentence of servitude. The worser the crime determines the position and duration of the punishment. This position is actually one of the more coveted ones, reserved for committers of lesser crimes or those who have exemplified good behavior elsewhere. This creature's service to the throne will be considered part of its reconditioning. Once it has served its time, or you grow tired of it, the poor thing can return to society."

That made her feel somewhat better. Only in a succubus society would sex be doled out as both a pastime and punishment. Maybe one day she wouldn't feel so weirded out by her heritage and its customs. Besides, now that she was really paying attention, the servant did seem rather docent, not at all resentful of the position he found himself in. In fact, he looked rather...intent. His eyes were downcast with his head but the energy buzzing around him was full of anticipation.

It was getting harder and harder to control her urges, inching closer and closer to the bed.

"Let go, Bloom. Indulge," Wrathis encouraged, his smile sharp and enabling. "You cannot hurt one of your own kind. Well, unless you scratch too hard, but I think you will find that this one likes a little violence."

With that, her father left the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Bloom free to do what she pleased.

The first thing she did was unhook the chain from the post, freeing the incubus' neck, but he did not move a single muscle.

"Lie back," Bloom instructed, the creature moving obediently at her word.

His head fell back against the pillows, body lying perfectly straight in the center of the large bed. The sheets were crimson, pale skin standing out like a piece of artwork in a sea of satin. Bloom perched over the torso of her new toy and ran her hands along the solid planes of his hairless chest, making sure to add in the light scrape of her nails. True to Wrathis' word, he shuddered under her touch, flesh prickling and cock twitching where it rubbed up against the cleft of her buttocks.

This creature was irresistible, flawless and beautiful, his musky scent rising into the air and stirring the beast from where it slept beneath Bloom's skin, tinging the whole room a fiery red. She wanted him. Badly.

But she wanted something else first.

Sliding up, Bloom positioned herself over his perfectly chiseled face, pussy dripping right over those pouty lips. His eyes darkened, and Bloom could tell that he was trying very hard to remain still.

"Eat me."

Teeth and tongue assaulted her core. The onslaught was so overwhelming that she nearly fell over, grasping for balance as she twisted one hand in the sheets and the other in his hair, holding him in place. He devoured her as she rode his face, tongue twisting and thrusting into her core as if he would his cock before dragging across her folds to lavish her clit. He sucked on her nub with unrelenting pressure, so much so that she already felt an orgasm building.

This boy was talented, and with a few more strokes of that devilish tongue he had her coming. Her body tensed like a live wire, shaking as she came down from the high. She could feel him lapping up her juices, licking up every drop. Rising, she could see dribbles of it running down his chin. He bored those dark eyes into hers as his tongue darted out from behind swollen lips to catch it.

If possible, he was even more enrapturing when he looked thoroughly fucked. Bloom wanted to keep him that disheveled and covered in her cum always.

 _And you can_ , a dark voice in the back of her head whispered, tinging her vision with red. _He is yours to do with as you please, to use and abuse and fuck as much as you want._

The possibilities and the power went to her head, a dizzying effect when combined with post-coital bliss.

The boy, Dragon bless him, was still painfully hard and, try as he might, was unable to stop a whimper from escaping those plush, ruined lips.

"What's your name?"

"Azazel."

" _Azazel,_ " she purred, settling in his lap and running clawed finger over his lips, drawing just the faintest bit of blood. "You and I are going to have so much _fun_."


End file.
